Ruby Franke’s Ex-Husband Now. Inside Kevin Franke’s Life 2 Years After His Ex-Wife Was Arrested for Abusing Their Children

Kevin Franke’s life took a dramatic turn on Aug. 30, 2023, when authorities arrested his wife of two decades, YouTuber Ruby Franke, along with their family therapist, Jodi Hildebrandt.

Prosecutors alleged that the women subjected Kevin and Ruby’s youngest children to severe abuse. Investigators reported that the children were dangerously malnourished, emaciated, and “covered in wounds.” For Kevin—who had separated from Ruby a year earlier and had become largely cut off from his family—the news was shattering.

In the months that followed, troubling details emerged about what the children endured. In December 2023, Ruby pleaded guilty to four counts of aggravated child abuse and was sentenced to between four and 60 years in prison, though Utah law caps her sentence at 30 years.

Kevin and his two oldest children, Shari and Chad, later spoke publicly together for the first time in the Hulu docuseries Devil in the Family: The Fall of Ruby Franke, which premiered in February 2025. Around that time, Kevin reflected publicly on his relationship with Ruby.

“I’m not ashamed to say that after being married over 20 years, I truly did and still do love her,” he said. “But that doesn’t excuse what she did to our children or to me. I’m going to do what’s best for my kids, my family, and myself—and that doesn’t include her.”

Kevin and Ruby finalized their divorce in March 2025. Later that year, Kevin remarried. The broader story surrounding Ruby and Hildebrandt has since been revisited in Netflix’s Evil Influencer: The Jodi Hildebrandt Story, released on Dec. 30.

So where does Kevin Franke stand today?

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Who Is Kevin Franke?

Kevin first entered the public eye in 2015 when he and Ruby launched the YouTube family vlog 8 Passengers. At the time, Kevin was an assistant engineering professor at Brigham Young University, while Ruby stayed home with their six children: Shari, Chad, Abby, Julie, Russell, and Eve.

The channel documented daily life in Springville, Utah, and quickly gained traction. By 2020, 8 Passengers had amassed around 2.5 million subscribers and more than one billion views. The couple shared intimate aspects of family life, including homeschooling, discipline, fertility struggles, and parenting philosophies.

But the channel’s strict disciplinary methods sparked concern among viewers. In 2020, an online petition calling for a child protective services investigation gathered 18,000 signatures. Several videos—such as one showing their son Chad losing access to his bed for months after a prank—were cited as evidence of overly harsh punishment.

Utah’s Division of Child and Family Services visited the Franke home in June 2020 following the petition and multiple 911 calls. After interviewing the children, the case was closed due to insufficient evidence. Kevin later described the visit as brief and said investigators apologized for the stress it caused.

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What Happened After Kevin Moved Out?

In 2021, Kevin and Ruby began counseling with Jodi Hildebrandt, a Utah-based therapist known for focusing on issues such as sex and pornography addiction. Hildebrandt had previously faced professional discipline for breaching patient confidentiality.

The couple also joined ConneXions, a relationship and parenting program founded by Hildebrandt that claimed to help families “flourish.”

By 2022, Ruby told Kevin that his attitude was harming the family and insisted separation was necessary to save their marriage. Kevin moved out, despite wanting to work through their problems together.

Over the next year, Kevin said his contact with Ruby and the children was tightly controlled. He later told authorities that he was “completely cut off,” speaking to Ruby only a handful of times during that period.

Kevin has since explained that he believes manipulation and coercive psychological tactics played a major role in isolating him from his family. He said he gradually came to believe he was the source of the family’s problems.

After the separation, Ruby became increasingly involved with Hildebrandt. She stopped posting to 8 Passengers in 2022, joined the ConneXions podcast, and rebranded her online presence as Moms of Truth, where she promoted stricter parenting ideologies.

Kevin’s eldest daughter, Shari, later said that she sensed something was “off” about the relationship between Ruby and Hildebrandt.

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What Happened to the Children?

With Kevin out of the home, Ruby spent extended periods living with Hildebrandt in Ivins, Utah—roughly 300 miles from Springville.

According to Ruby’s later journal entries, it was during this time that the abuse intensified. The writings describe extreme punishments inflicted on the youngest children, including forced physical labor, prolonged food deprivation, exposure to the elements, and painful wound treatments using cayenne pepper and honey. Ruby framed these acts as discipline for what she described as “evil” or “manipulative” behavior.

The abuse came to light on Aug. 30, 2023, when the Frankes’ then-12-year-old son escaped Hildebrandt’s home and sought help from a neighbor. Authorities responded to a 911 call and found two of the youngest children injured, malnourished, and terrified.

Ruby and Hildebrandt were arrested and charged with six counts of aggravated child abuse. The four youngest children were placed in the care of Utah’s Division of Child and Family Services.

Kevin has said that many of the most violent acts were hidden from him and that directives often came from Hildebrandt, whose authority as a licensed mental health professional made it difficult for him to challenge her influence.

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Was Kevin Franke Charged?

Kevin was initially questioned as a possible suspect. When he arrived at the Santa Clara–Ivins Police Department searching for his children, officers interviewed him about his involvement.

Body camera footage shows Kevin explaining that he had not lived with Ruby or the children for more than a year. As officers detailed the condition of the children, Kevin appeared shocked and distraught. Authorities quickly confirmed he was not involved in the abuse and cleared him early in the investigation. He has never been charged.

Kevin later reflected that many people struggle to understand how someone could remain emotionally connected to a spouse under such circumstances, especially when manipulation gradually alters perceptions and loyalties.

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Where Is Kevin Franke Now?

Since Ruby’s conviction, Kevin has focused on healing and rebuilding relationships with his children. His attorney has said Kevin’s priority has been repair and recovery, rather than blame.

In April 2024, Kevin filed a lawsuit against Hildebrandt alleging intentional and negligent infliction of emotional distress. The lawsuit was brought on behalf of the children to preserve assets for their future care.

Kevin has also become an advocate for child welfare reform in Utah. He has testified before state legislators, calling for changes that would allow child welfare workers to intervene more quickly when credible warning signs are reported. He has repeatedly argued that the system failed his children when they needed help most.

Kevin filed for divorce in November 2023, though the petition was sealed under Utah law. He attended Ruby’s sentencing hearing in February 2024, where she reportedly described the end of their marriage as a tragedy.

By early 2025, Kevin requested that Ruby stop writing to him from prison, saying he needed space to process his anger and grief. Their divorce was finalized in March 2025, with neither party paying alimony and the family home awarded to Kevin.

In December 2025, Kevin’s daughter Shari shared that her father had married Becca Bevan. She wrote that she was grateful to see him finally find happiness.

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Does Kevin Franke Have Custody of His Children?

After Ruby’s arrest, the four youngest children remained in state custody while Kevin sought full guardianship through juvenile court.

When the divorce was finalized, Kevin was granted full custody. Any child support obligations Ruby owed were considered settled as part of the agreement.

Kevin has also worked to rebuild bonds with his older children. By early 2025, he shared that he had begun hosting regular Sunday dinners—a small but meaningful step toward restoring a sense of family normalcy.