ST. GEORGE, Utah — Smiling as she walked into a Washington County courtroom, Ruby Franke pleaded guilty Monday to multiple counts of aggravated child abuse brought against her earlier this year.
Watch COMPLETE Ruby Franke hearing below:
As part of the plea deal, Franke agreed to testify against her former business partner, Jodi Hildebrandt.
Within the deal, Franke admitted to the abuse her children faced, calling them "acts of love."
Franke and her attorney worked with prosecutors on a plea agreement that saw her plead guilty to four of the six counts against her, with two others having been dismissed. All of the counts are second degree felonies and Franke agreeing to serve a prison sentence was part of the agreement.
When asked by the Judge John J. Walton if she had read the agreement carefully, Franke replied, "every word."
"You don't need any more time?" the judge asked.
"I'm ready," said Franke.
Judge Walton then went over each of the four counts to which Franke replied guilty, except for on the final count to which she said, "with my deepest regret and sorrow for my family and my children, guilty."
Following the pleas, Walton announced that sentencing will take place on February 20.
When Franke is sentenced, the plea deal stipulates she will serve all four sentences consecutively. Each of the counts brings a prison sentence between 1-15 years; however, those terms are flexible and up to the Utah Board of Pardons and Parole.
"We are pleased that Mrs. Franke has accepted responsibility for her criminal actions and that justice is being served to the extent possible in this type of a situation," said Washington County District Attorney Eric Clarke.
Franke and Hildebrandt were arrested in August after one of Franke's children escaped Hildebrandt's home knocked on the door of a neighbor in Ivins and asked for food and water. The neighbor noticed duct tape on the child's ankles and wrists and called police, according to court documents.
Police later found one of Franke's daughter's emaciated inside Hildebrandt's home.
The plea agreement details the levels of abuse inflicted upon Franke's children between May-August 2023. One of Franke's children, identified as "RF" was forced to do physical tasks for "hours and days at a time," including carrying boxes full of books up and down stairs and working outside. "RF" was forced to do labor outside without shoes and "to remain outside at all hours of the day and night for extended periods of time," causing serious sunburns.
"RF" was denied water for days and was punished when he secretly consumed water. He was also isolated from other people and denied all forms of entertainment.
When "RF" attempted to run away in July, his hands and feet were bound, and then tied to weights. Franke admitted she kicked "RF" while wearing boots, held his head underwater and cut off his oxygen by placing her hands over his mouth and nose.
Franke said that she and another adult "sought to indoctrinate 'RF' and convince him that he was evil and possessed," and that the punishments were necessary to repent, but that they were done as "acts of love."
The plea agreement said the sister of "RF," identified as "EF," was subject to the same treatment as her brother and that was also convinced she was evil.
Both Franke and Hildebrandt were charged with six counts of aggravated child abuse. The two had previously collaborated on parenting advice videos for ConneXions.
In a statement Friday, Franke's attorneys appeared to place blame on Hildebrandt, claiming Franke is a "devoted mother" who was taken advantage of by a person she trusted.
"Initially, Ms. Franke believed that Jodi Hildebrant had the insight to offer a path to continual improvement. Ms. Hildebrant took advantage of this quest and twisted it into something heinous," the statement reads.
Franke's lawyers say 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."
According to the Winward Law firm, Franke has "engaged in introspection" while in jail over the past several months and understands "the full weight of her actions."
Hildebrandt's next hearing is scheduled for Dec. 27.
