AMERICAN FORK, Utah — Body camera video obtained by FOX 13 News shows law enforcement officers locating two of Ruby Franke’s daughters as she and her associate, Jodi Hildebrandt, were being arrested over the summer.
On August 30, shortly after Franke’s children were found bound and injured in southern Utah, officials, fearing the worst for her remaining children, quickly located two of her other daughters at a house of one of Franke’s friends in American Fork; the interaction of their discovery was documented in the body camera video.
Because of the situation that had unfolded in southern Utah, officers went to the home of Pam Bodtcher where they found the girls. Bodtcher is listed on the leadership page of ConneXions, the company owned by Hildebrandt.
"Just put your hands in front of you, OK? Just going to place you temporarily under," an officer is heard saying to Bodtcher. "I'll explain to you, I'll explain to you, guys. I've explained this already. I'm being as courteous as I can."
Bodtcher was later placed in the back of a patrol car as officers attempted to figure out whats going on.
"Can you at least give me a synopsis of what this is in regards to," an American Fork police officer is heard asking to someone on the phone.
Detectives told officers about the situation that had recently occurred at Hildebrandt's house, including information that two of Franke's children had been found malnourished and bound.
With Franke and Hildebrant both running ConneXtions with Bodtcher among the company's leaders, the body camera footage further explains their relationship.
"[Franke is] a friend of ours," explained Bodtcher. "She comes over and helps me every once in a while to do cleaning and stuff."
"Pam knows her because she knows her mom," Bodtcher's husband, Roy, tells police. "She's very good friends with her. She's known her for a long, long time."
A short time later, officers with the Springville Police Department and the Utah Division of Child and Family Services show up to the scene.
"So it's not so much that you're in trouble," an officer asks Bodtcher on the video. "We're just trying to get answers about the Franke family," to which she replied, "I've never had this ever happen before."
The videos shows Bodtcher clearly confused over the situation.
"All that kind of stuff, said she had a family emergency, I need to look after the girls. She said, 'Would you mind watching the girls while I'm gone," because she was leaving?" said Bodtcher.
After a short conversation, the officers entered the American Fork home and take Franke's daughters into state custody.
