Disgraced YouTuber Ruby Franke pleads guilty with 'deepest regret' as she admits to starving her children

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: In a shocking turn of events, disgraced YouTube star Ruby Franke pleaded guilty to four counts of child abuse on Monday, December 18.

According to People, the 41-year-old family vlogger pleaded guilty to aggravated child abuse.

"With my deepest regret and sorrow for my family and my children, guilty," Franke said at court.

When is Ruby Franke's sentence hearing?

Franke who will be sentenced in January 2024 pleaded to four counts as part of a deal rather than the initially charged six counts.

On August 30, Franke was taken into custody along with her podcast co-host and business partner Jodi Hildebrandt. The arrest comes after Franke's 12-year-old son allegedly escaped Hildebrandt's home and sought help from a neighbor, pleading for food and water, according to the statement issued by authorities at the time.

The neighbor who made the distressing 911 call, described the young boy as "emaciated" and "covered in wounds."

Following the arrival of Santa Clara Public Safety Department officers in Ivens, Utah, at Hildebrandt's property, they discovered Franke's 10-year-old daughter who appeared to have "a similar physical condition of malnourishment."

Authorities shifted both children to the hospital at the time. On September 6, Franke and Hildebrandt were charged with six felony counts of child abuse.

Ruby Franke's lawyers say she was 'led astray' by Jodi Hildebrandt

Through their YouTube channel '8 Passengers' started in 2015, Franke and her husband Kevin Franke gained more than two million followers for their content on strict parenting styles. Following the 'momfluencers' arrest, the channel was eventually shut down. 

In a statement issued by Franke's lawyers, they signaled that she intended to plead guilty in court. The YouTuber "found herself on this challenging path under the influence of Ms Hildebrant," and stated that Franke was "led astray," as per her attorney's claim in the statement. The lawyers further added that Franke is a "devoted mother" who fell under Hildebrandt's "influence."

"Initially, Ms Franke believed that Jodi Hildebrant had the insight to offer a path to continual improvement," read the statement. "Ms Hildebrant took advantage of this quest and twisted it into something heinous," it added.

"Over an extended period, Ms Hildebrant systematically isolated Ruby Franke from her extended family, older children, and her husband, Kevin Franke. This prolonged isolation resulted in Ms Franke being subjected to a distorted sense of morality, shaped by Ms Hildebrandt’s influence," the statement continued.

Until her sentencing hearing in January, Franke will remain in jail. CBS News cited Franke's lawyer and reported that the judge will have the discretion to determine the sentence and prison time is considered a possibility.