Inside the downfall of mommy vlogger Ruby Franke: 8 takeaways from the Hulu docuseries
LOS ANGELES -- Following Ruby Franke's conviction for child abuse, her husband Kevin and their two oldest children, Shari and Chad, are revealing their experiences in Hulu's new docuseries "Devil in the Family: The Fall of Ruby Franke." This three-part series delves into the troubling evolution of their family, originating from the popular YouTube channel "8 Passengers," which began in 2015 as a platform to share their everyday lives.
The documentary illustrates how Ruby transformed from a strict Mormon mother to what Kevin describes as an "instrument of God," fueled by the channel's success, which attracted 2.5 million subscribers and generated significant income. However, the Franke family now views this journey through a lens of exploitation, as their once-cozy family narrative became a source of distress and distressing experiences.
Utilizing over 1,000 hours of unreleased footage along with interviews from former neighbors and friends, the docuseries highlights alarming incidents where Ruby is seen threatening her children and pressuring them for on-camera performances. Shari and Chad reflect on their public upbringing and the troubling changes they began to notice in their mother, while the identities of the four youngest children are deliberately obscured for their protection.
Ruby and her business partner, Jodi Hildebrandt, faced arrest in August 2023 after a harrowing incident where Ruby's youngest son appeared at a neighbor's home in a severely malnourished state, bound with duct tape around his wrists and ankles. He managed to alert the neighbor to take him to the police, prompting authorities to take immediate action.
The series seeks to shed light on the darker side of family vlogging and the consequences that can arise from exploiting children's lives for online fame. Through the Franke family's story, "Devil in the Family" opens a necessary discussion about parental responsibility and the impacts of a public lifestyle on children.