Authorities were summoned last year to the Utah home of Ruby Franke, the YouTube family influencer charged with multiple counts of child abuse, after a concerned neighbor said her children had been left home alone for several days, a police report shows.
The neighbor told a responding officer from the Springville Police Department she had security camera video showing Franke had been gone since Sept. 14, four days before the officer was called to the home, the report says.
That neighbor and others “immediately started telling about how the mother of the residence, Ruby Franke, will leave her children home for extended periods of time and go to St. George to spend time with her friend” Jodi Hildebrandt, according to the report, which NBC News obtained through a public records request with the Springville Police Department.
NBC affiliate KSL of Salt Lake City first reported the September 911 call.
On Friday, Franke and Hildebrandt, who are business partners and run the family counseling and life coaching service ConneXtions together, were each charged with six counts of felony child abuse by the Washington County Attorney in Utah. Each count carries a prison sentence of up to 15 years and a fine of up to $10,000.
Hildebrandt’s ConneXtions has been criticized for its extreme teachings, including rejecting children who do not abide by their beliefs.
Franke rose to prominence on her family YouTube channel 8 Passengers. The channel featured Franke, her husband Kevin and their six children. The channel had nearly 2.3 million followers before it was removed earlier this year. On the channel, Franke was known for her strict parenting advice.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
Kalhan Rosenblatt contributed.
Source: | This article originally belongs to Nbcnews.com
