Ruby Franke’s estranged husband claimed that he was the ‘resident exorcist’ for her business partner Jodi Hildebrandt.
In a newly-released interview with the Washington County Attorney’s Office, Kevin Franke, who has since divorced the now disgraced mommy blogger, said that their Utah home turned into a ‘crazy house’ after Hildebrandt moved in with them in 2021.
Jodi began living with the couple after Kevin and Ruby had tried to help her fight ‘evil spirits’ and ‘cast the demons out.’ He alleged that when she started going into a ‘trance,’ he would have to give her ‘blessings’ to help.
Kevin claimed that once she was under their roof, strange episodes of flickering lights, loud noises and floating objects started to take over the home.
‘It was weird, and I hated it. I became the resident exorcist, that was the tittle I came up with myself – I thought it was kind of funny,’ Kevin said in the interview.
Kevin Franke, who has since divorced the now disgraced mommy blogger, said that their Utah home turned into a ‘crazy house’ after Hildebrandt moved in with them in 2021
Jodi began living with the couple after Kevin and Ruby had tried to help her fight ‘evil spirits’ and ‘cast the demons out’
Ruby (pictured left), 42, was sentenced to up to 30 years in prison in February for brutally abusing her 12-year-old son and nine-year-old daughter in a ‘concentration camp-like setting.’ Jodi (pictured right), 54, was also sentenced to up to 30 years behind bars
Kevin claimed that it was his ‘job’ to give Jodie ‘blessings’ when ‘she started to go into a ‘trance and go into possession.’
Ruby, 42, was sentenced to up to 30 years in prison in February for brutally abusing her 12-year-old son and nine-year-old daughter in a ‘concentration camp-like setting’. Jodi, 54, was also sentenced to up to 30 years behind bars.
The pair became exceptionally close as Kevin said that his ex-wife would go upstairs ‘to check on her’ when Jodi would have her episodes.
‘It started like every four hours at night, and then it moved every two hours at night, and then it moved every hour at night,’ Kevin said.
‘At some point Ruby said, “You know what, I’m just gonna start sleeping in there. And if I need you I’ll come down and get you”.’
Kevin admitted that even though he thought that it was weird that his then wife started to sleep with Jodi, he agreed to it.
‘They started sleeping in the same bed,’ Kevin shared, ‘then [Ruby] started having, like, trances and stuff,’ he said.
Kevin added that the pair would ‘lock themselves in a room for four or five hours before coming out, with Ruby saying she ‘had this amazing vision’ and ‘I wrote and recorded it all down’. And, “we have a work to do from God.”‘
The criminal ‘Momfluencer’ became an internet sensation thanks to her YouTube channel 8 Passengers where millions of viewers watched how she and then husband, Kevin Franke, raised, and disciplined, their six children.
Ruby was already a divisive figure in the parent vlogging world. The Franke parents had been criticized online for banning their oldest son from his bedroom for seven months for pranking his brother.
In other videos, Ruby talked about refusing to take lunch to a kindergartener who forgot it at home.
Last year, shocking claims emerged that Ruby, a Mormon, had spent years abusing her children.
He said that it was his ‘job’ to give Jodie ‘blessings’ when ‘she started to go into a ‘trance and go into possession’
Images released highlight the extent of the abuse by Ruby and show the two emaciated victims with infected cuts on their legs and duct tape around their arms and feet
Disturbing photos and videos that depicted the horrendous injuries of Ruby’s abused children, including the moment officers found the kids in a closet at her home were recently released.
Doorbell camera footage captured her son as he escaped the torture and alerted a neighbor about their suffering.
Other images highlighted the extent of the abuse by Ruby and showed the two emaciated victims with infected cuts on their legs, duct tape around their arms and feet and scratches and bruises on their bodies.
Police also discovered a cramped safe room in the basement of the property that was locked from the outside, rope that would be used to tie up the children and adult diapers.
Photos taken at the scene showed the fragile bodies of the emaciated children who are covered with cuts, bruises and scars.
Images show the hands and feet of the young boy wrapped in duct tape as well as infected sores on his feet that are filled with blood and pus as a result of the restraints.
The nine-year-old girl was seen with scratches all over her arms and bruise marks on her ankle.
The children were subject to torture including being tied up with rope, forced to wear adult diapers and locked inside a tiny safe room.
They were regularly denied food, water, beds to sleep in and virtually all forms of entertainment.
Meanwhile, pictures show the kitchen and pantry was filled with food and Ruby’s large office dedicated to making YouTube videos.
The young kids were prohibited from interacting with others and were hidden in the home when people came to visit’.
While the children were denied food, photos of a fully-stocked pantry in the home emerged
Child protective services took both E and R.F., along with two older siblings, into custody after arriving at Ruby’s home to arrest her
Investigators added that they were forced to do manual labor outdoors in the extreme summer heat without shoes or socks.
Both children were told they were possessed and the torture was done as a way to help them.
The 12-year-old boy, referred to as R.F., told authorities that Jodi had tied him up and used home remedies to treat the wounds he suffered.
Other footage showed the moment cops found Ruby’s traumatized daughter, referred to by the initial ‘E’, was found ‘petrified’ inside of a closet after they swept the home.
A police officer asks the girl if she is okay, but gets no response as he tries to coax her out of the wardrobe.
The children were later taken to hospital and family members said they are stable.
Child protective services took both E and R.F., along with two older siblings, into custody after arriving at Ruby’s home to arrest her.
Ruby and Jodi were both charged with six counts of felony child abuse nearly a week later, before YouTube banned Ruby and deleted her channels.