Current:Home > FinanceRuby Franke’s Estranged Husband Kevin Details How She Became Involved in Extreme Religious "Cult"-Angel Dreamer Wealth Society D1 Reviews & Insights
Ruby Franke’s Estranged Husband Kevin Details How She Became Involved in Extreme Religious "Cult"
View Date:2024-12-23 20:11:05
Content warning: This story discusses child abuse.
Ruby Franke's estranged husband is shedding more light on her horrific mistreatment of their children.
The Washington County Attorney's Office in Utah released an interview with Kevin Franke following the YouTube influencer's Aug. 30 arrest on child abuse charges, where he says the mom of six got involved in a religious "cult."
During the conversation with authorities, Kevin explained that Ruby became a member of an organization called ConneXions after forming a close relationship with her kids' mental health counselor Jodi Hildebrandt, who was arrested alongside Ruby over child abuse charges. Former clients told NBC News that ConneXions—which Jodi established as a life coaching service in 2007—was based on principles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
"My impression at that time was this is absolute craziness," Kevin recalled of the business in his interview with authorities, "this is a bunch of man-hating women that are just looking for excuses to tear down their husbands."
Despite not being into the idea at first, he eventually agreed to three months of "addiction recovery" meetings with other men in the organization after watching "people that I respected a lot [get] up on the stage with microphones and giving testimonials of how great this was and how it changed their lives and their marriage."
And while Kevin, 45, felt the sessions were helping their marriage get "stronger" for a time, he said a sudden turn in Jodi's mental state and behavior cast new light on the group.
"We went down to Jodi's house in May of 2021," Kevin said. "I'm a smart guy. I'm an engineer—designed and helped build some really big stuff. I'm a college professor. I can't explain some of the stuff that happened while we were there."
He went on to recount hearing weird "crashes," as well as witnessing plates flying off kitchen shelves by themselves and "full-speed smashing on the wall."
To help Jodi through her dark period, Kevin said he and Ruby called in a bishop, who went over to the counselor's house every night for hours at a time to fight "evil spirits" and "cast the demons out." However, after feeling like he wasn't getting anywhere, Jodi came to live with the couple instead.
"[Jodi and Ruby] started sleeping in the same bed," Kevin shared, "then [Ruby] started having, like, trances and stuff. I would say it was probably around September where she believed that she was going to heaven and seeing God and Jesus and talking with them."
He added that sometimes they would also "lock themselves in a room for four or five hours," and when they came out, Ruby would tell him she "had this amazing vision and 'I wrote and recorded it all down.' And, 'We have a work to do from God.'"
In the end, Kevin decided he "wanted to move on with life," and he and Ruby got an "in-home separation" before he filed for divorce in December, with his lawyer saying the pair had been living apart from for more than a year before her arrest.
As for Ruby and Jodi, the pair were arrested in August 2023 after Ruby and Kevin's 12-year-old son was found emaciated with open wounds and duct tape on his wrists and ankles after running into a neighbor's yard for help, according to the Washington County Attorney's Office. Ruby and Kevin's 10-year-old daughter was subsequently found malnourished at Jodi's house and taken to the hospital, per an affidavit obtained by NBC News.
After investigating the situation further, prosecutors said in a case summary that Ruby and Jodi "appeared to fully believe that the abuse they inflicted was necessary to teach the children how to properly repent for imagined 'sins' and to cast the evil spirits out of their bodies."
Three months after their arrests, Ruby and Jodi each pleaded guilty to four counts of aggravated child abuse as part of a plea deal. In February, both were ordered to spend four to 30 years in prison—the maximum sentence for this kind of offense in the state of Utah.
During Ruby's sentencing hearing, the 42-year-old apologized to her husband and children.
"For the past four years, I've chosen to follow counsel and guidance that has led me into a dark delusion," Ruby said in court Feb. 20, per the livestream on the Utah court's website. "My distorted version of reality went largely unchecked as I would isolate from anyone who challenged me."
Addressing her children, she added, "I would do anything in this world for you. I took from you all that was soft and safe, and good."
E! News reached out to Kevin, Ruby and Jodi's lawyers for comment but has not heard back.
For the latest breaking news updates, click here to download the E! News AppveryGood! (32975)
Related
- The state that cleared the way for sports gambling now may ban ‘prop’ bets on college athletes
- US moon lander encounters 'anomaly' hours after launch: Here's what we know
- MSNBC’s Mehdi Hasan quits rather than accept demotion at news network
- Nashville man killed his wife on New Year's Day with a hammer and buried her body, police say
- ‘Heretic’ and Hugh Grant debut with $11 million, but ‘Venom: The Last Dance’ tops box office again
- JetBlue's CEO to step down, will be replaced by 1st woman to lead a big U.S. airline
- Purdue still No. 1, Houston up to No. 2 in USA TODAY Sports men's basketball poll
- Ryan Reynolds Celebrates Emmy Win With Instagram Boyfriend Blake Lively
- What does the top five look like and other questions facing the College Football Playoff committee
- JetBlue’s CEO is stepping down, and he’ll be replaced by the first woman to lead a big US airline
Ranking
- Judge sets date for 9/11 defendants to enter pleas, deepening battle over court’s independence
- These are the top 3 Dow Jones stocks to own in 2024, according to Wall Street
- Gillian Anderson Reveals Why Her 2024 Golden Globes Dress Was Embroidered With Vaginas
- German soccer legend dies at 78. Franz Beckenbauer won World Cup as player and a coach
- See Chris Evans' Wife Alba Baptista Show Her Sweet Support at Red One Premiere
- Indiana governor seeks childcare and education policies in his final year
- Convicted killer pleads not guilty to jailhouse attack on killer of California student Kristin Smart
- NFL Black Monday: Latest on coaches fired, front-office moves
Recommendation
-
Residents urged to shelter in place after apparent explosion at Louisville business
-
Boeing jetliner that suffered inflight blowout was restricted because of concern over warning light
-
India court restores life prison sentences for 11 Hindu men who raped a Muslim woman in 2002 riots
-
North Korea and South Korea fire artillery rounds in drills at tense sea boundary
-
New York races to revive Manhattan tolls intended to fight traffic before Trump can block them
-
Woman jumps from second floor window to escape devastating Georgia apartment building fire
-
These are the top 3 Dow Jones stocks to own in 2024, according to Wall Street
-
Newspaper sues city for police records, mayor directs ‘immediate steps’ for response