Malevolent Mormon Mommys | The Case Against Ruby Franke & Jodi Hildebrandt

Malevolent Mormon Mommys | The Case Against Ruby Franke & Jodi Hildebrandt

Dive into the shadowed intersection of faith and deception with "Malevolent Mormon Mommys." This riveting podcast unravels the startling allegations against Ruby Franke and Jodi Hildebrandt, once celebrated figures in mommy blogging and the Mormon community. Beyond their picture-perfect online personas lay dark secrets waiting to be exposed. Through in-depth reporting, exclusive interviews with investigators, police, and psychologists, we confront the unsettling truths hidden behind their devout façades. Explore the intricacies of the digital age, the complexities of religious influence, and the psychology of deception. In a world where faith meets facade, "Malevolent Mormon Mommys" challenges perceptions and unveils a tale of betrayal, prompting the ultimate question: How well do we truly know the faces we trust? Subscribe and uncover a story that redefines the lines between belief and betrayal.

Episodes

October 21, 2025 14 mins
What happens when faith turns into fanaticism — and motherhood turns into control?
 In this searing Hidden Killers commentary, Tony Brueski unpacks the disturbing psychology behind Ruby Franke and Jodi Hildebrandt, the duo whose “spiritual discipline” of children became a criminal horror show.

Ruby’s journey from YouTube mom to convicted abuser isn’t just about narcissism — it’s about moral addiction. She craved r...
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Kevin Franke says redemption is real. He just announced he’s engaged to a new partner, just six months after finalizing his divorce from Ruby Franke — the former “8 Passengers” mommy blogger now serving a possible 30-year sentence for aggravated child abuse.

In this episode of Hidden Killers, we’re digging into what this “fresh start” really means — not just for Kevin, but for the children who lived under a camera, in...
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From YouTube Mom to Felon-What Led to Ruby and Kevin Franke’s Divorce

Ruby Franke, once known as the strict but smiling matriarch of the 8 Passengers YouTube channel, is now serving a prison sentence for aggravated child abuse. In this gripping episode, we dive deep into the court documents, police bodycam footage, and the real-life consequences of a parenting philosophy that spiraled into criminal behavior. We walk t...
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8 Passengers Fallout: Divorce Finalized as Ruby Franke Serves Prison Time

The story of Ruby Franke officially closed a major chapter this week as a Utah judge signed off on her divorce from Kevin Franke—marking the legal end to a marriage that once played out in front of millions on YouTube, before unraveling in one of the most disturbing child abuse cases the state has seen in years.

It’s now on paper: the m...
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Welcome to the "Week in Review," where we delve into the true stories behind this week's headlines. Your host, Tony Brueski, joins hands with a rotating roster of guests, sharing their insights and analysis on a collection of intriguing, perplexing, and often chilling stories that made the news.
    
 This is not your average news recap. With the sharp investigative lens of Tony and his guests, the show uncovers layers...
Mark as Played
Kevin Franke A Victim or an Enabler? FBI Expert Breaks It Down
Was Kevin Franke just another victim in Ruby Franke’s twisted world, or was he an enabler quietly standing by as the unthinkable happened? Hulu’s Devil in the Family has reignited the debate, shifting the spotlight onto Kevin—her husband, the father of their children, and the man who claims he was left in the dark. But how does his body language, his words, and...
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Was Kevin Franke a clueless victim of psychological manipulation, or was he just too comfortable letting someone else call the shots—even when it meant his own kids were suffering? The Hulu documentary Devil in the Family peels back the layers of one of the most twisted true crime cases in recent years, exposing how extreme parenting, blind faith, and YouTube fame created the perfect storm for abuse to thrive.

Tony Br...
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The Hidden Psychology Behind Kevin Franke’s Inaction – FBI Expert Weighs In
How do you go from being a father of six to turning a blind eye when your children are suffering? That’s the question swirling around Kevin Franke, who spent a year estranged from his wife, Ruby, and their kids—only to seemingly jump right back into the chaos when given the chance. Even as disturbing truths about alleged child abuse surfaced, he cl...
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FBI Behavioral Analyst on Why Kevin Franke Didn’t Act Sooner
How do you go from parenting to full-blown exorcisms? That’s the twisted reality of the alleged abuse unfolding in the Ruby Franke and Jodi Hildebrandt saga. What started as a strict religious upbringing spiraled into something far more sinister—kids being duct-taped, starved, and subjected to cruel punishments, all under the guise of “purging uncleanliness.” But...
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FBI Profiler Analyzes Kevin Franke’s Behavior In Ruby Franke Devil In The Family Doc
Was Kevin Frankie just an oblivious husband caught in the crossfire of a manipulative cult-like influence, or was he a willing enabler turning a blind eye to the horrors unfolding in his own home? Hulu's Devil in the Family has reignited the public debate, shifting the spotlight onto Kevin and his role—or lack thereof—in the Ruby Frankie c...
Mark as Played
Welcome to the "Week in Review," where we delve into the true stories behind this week's headlines. Your host, Tony Brueski, joins hands with a rotating roster of guests, sharing their insights and analysis on a collection of intriguing, perplexing, and often chilling stories that made the news.
    
 This is not your average news recap. With the sharp investigative lens of Tony and his guests, the show uncovers layers...
Mark as Played
Does Kevin Franke Really 'Get It', If He Still Loves Ruby Franke?
Was Kevin Franke a victim of coercion, or did he just turn a blind eye? The case of Ruby Franke and Jodi Hildebrandt has been dissected from every angle, but Kevin—the husband who stayed, the father who didn’t intervene—is a puzzle in himself. Psychotherapist and author Shavaun Scott joins Tony Brueski to unravel the layers of manipulation, blind faith, and ...
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Is Kevin Franke a Victim or an Accomplice Of Ruby Franke, FBI Behavioral Expert Speaks
Could Kevin Franke have stopped the nightmare unfolding under his own roof, or was he just another victim caught in Ruby Franke and Jodi Hildebrandt’s web of control? That’s the big question as we dig into the twisted dynamics of this case. Sure, he wasn’t the one tying up his children or starving them, but he also wasn’t stepping in whe...
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Was Kevin Franke a victim of manipulation, or did he knowingly turn a blind eye while his children suffered? The Ruby Franke case has left many stunned, but the focus now shifts to her husband, Kevin—a man who still claims to love the woman who tortured their children. While he insists he was a victim of religious coercion and extreme psychological control, many argue he was complicit, neglectful, and far too passive.

...
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Kevin Franke Finally Speaks Out The Truth About Ruby Franke’s Abuse
Was Kevin Franke a victim of manipulation, or did he knowingly turn a blind eye while his children suffered? The Ruby Franke case has left many stunned, but the focus now shifts to her husband, Kevin—a man who still claims to love the woman who tortured their children. While he insists he was a victim of religious coercion and extreme psychological control...
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Before Ruby Franke, the infamous YouTube mom behind the "8Passengers" channel, pleaded guilty to child abuse charges, authorities uncovered something chilling—a handwritten journal detailing the suffering she inflicted on her own children. In it, she described acts of cruelty with a detachment that made even seasoned investigators pause.

As revealed in Hulu’s new docuseries Devil in the Family: The Fall of Ruby Franke...
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Kevin Franke Seems To Think The 'Internet' Is The Main Thing To Blame For His Wife's Behavior
What kind of person looks at their own children suffering and blames… YouTube? Kevin Franke seems to think the real villain here is family vlogging, not the alleged abuse that unfolded right under his nose. Sure, exploiting kids for clicks is bad, but is it really the root of the problem, or just a convenient scapegoat? Tony Brues...
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Kevin Franke Speaks Out on Ex-Wife Ruby Franke’s Crimes: ‘I Have Regrets’

Kevin Franke, the estranged husband of disgraced parenting influencer Ruby Franke, is breaking his silence following her conviction for child abuse. In a new interview, he admitted that he trusted his wife and her business partner, Jodi Hildebrandt, despite mounting concerns about their extreme parenting methods.

“The bottom line is: I...
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The shocking downfall of YouTube’s 8 Passengers family took the world by storm when Ruby Franke and Jodi Hildebrandt were arrested for horrific child abuse. But one name has remained at the center of controversy—Kevin Franke. Was he an enabler who failed to protect his children, or was he just another victim of the psychological control wielded by Ruby and Jodi? In this deep-dive episode, we unravel the complex story behind Ke...
Mark as Played
Welcome to the "Week in Review," where we delve into the true stories behind this week's headlines. Your host, Tony Brueski, joins hands with a rotating roster of guests, sharing their insights and analysis on a collection of intriguing, perplexing, and often chilling stories that made the news.
    
 This is not your average news recap. With the sharp investigative lens of Tony and his guests, the show uncovers layers...
Mark as Played

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