Parenting mum on '8 passengers' YouTube channel arrested over child abuse

A Utah woman, who ran a erstwhile fashionable parenting proposal YouTube channel, was arrested connected suspicion of kid maltreatment aft her malnourished lad escaped from home, officials said.

Ruby Franke and her concern spouse Jodi Nan Hildebrandt were arrested successful Ivins, Utah connected Wednesday.

Officials besides recovered Ms Franke's 10-year-old girl successful a malnourished information astatine her partner's house.

Ms Franke and her concern spouse look 2 felony counts of kid abuse.

The BBC has reached retired to Ms Franke and Ms Hildebrandt for comment.

Police accidental Ms Franke's 12-year-old lad climbed retired of the model and ran to a neighbour's location to inquire for nutrient and water.

"The calling enactment [the neighbour] stated the juvenile appeared to beryllium emaciated and malnourished, with unfastened wounds and duct portion astir the extremities," according to a statement from the Santa-Clara Ivins Public Safety Department.

"Upon arrival, instrumentality enforcement observed the wounds and the malnourishment of [the boy] to beryllium severe," the connection said.

The lad had to beryllium taken to the infirmary "due to his heavy lacerations from being tied up with enactment and from his malnourishment". Ms Franke's 10-year-old girl was besides taken to the hospital.

Officials aboriginal obtained a hunt warrant successful transportation with the incident, and successful total, 4 children were taken into the attraction of household and kid services, according to the statement.

Ms Franke, 41, became YouTube celebrated successful the 2010s for her transmission called 8 passengers that discussed parenting of her six children. Ms Franke has appeared successful YouTube videos with Ms Hildebrandt posted by her counselling tract ConneXions Classroom.

The YouTube transmission had implicit 2 cardinal subscribers earlier it was deactivated earlier this year.

The vlogger has faced a backlash successful the past for her strict parenting measures described connected her YouTube channel, including her lad claiming helium slept connected a legume container for respective months arsenic punishment and Ms Franke describing withholding meals arsenic different disciplinary measure.

The legume container incidental led immoderate viewers to telephone section kid protective services, though Ms Franke claimed to Insider the incidents had been taken retired of context.

Ms Franke's eldest girl Shari Franke shared a station connected Instagram aft her mother's arrest, saying that she and her household "are truthful gladsome justness is being served", US media reported.

"We've been trying to archer the constabulary and CPS for years astir this, and truthful gladsome they yet decided to measurement up," she reportedly said.

Ms Franke has requested an lawyer and did not talk to officers, according to the Associated Press. That lawyer had not publically been identified connected Thursday.