Former YouTube Parenting Channel Host Pleads Guilty to Child Abuse

Ruby Franke, the host of a now-defunct YouTube parenting channel, pleaded guilty on Monday to four counts of aggravated child abuse over the treatment of her children.

Ms. Franke, who was known for videos that chronicled her strict parenting style on social media, was arrested along with her business partner in Utah in September. The police said at the time that two of Ms. Franke’s children appeared malnourished, and one of them had duct tape on his ankles and wrists as well as open wounds. Her plea was part of an agreement with prosecutors.

The maximum penalty for each of the counts is 15 years and a fine of up to $10,000. Ms. Franke, 41, will remain incarcerated until she is sentenced in 2024, according to the attorney’s office.

“We are pleased that Ms. Franke has accepted responsibility for her criminal actions and that justice is being served to the extent possible in this type of situation,” Eric Clarke, the Washington County attorney, said in a statement on Monday.

Ms. Franke’s lawyer, Lamar J. Winward, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Ms. Franke was the host of a YouTube channel called “8 Passengers,” which has since been removed from the platform. In the videos, Ms. Franke documented her strict parenting strategies, which included refusing her own children food as a form of punishment. The channel documented the lives of her six children: Shari, Chad, Abby, Julie, Russell and Eve. It had nearly 2.5 million subscribers before it was taken down.

Ms. Franke was arrested in September at the home of her business partner, Jodi Hildebrandt, in Ivins, Utah, and charged with six counts of aggravated child abuse. The arrest and charges came after Ms. Franke’s 12-year-old son, identified as R.F. in a court document, climbed out the window of Ms. Hildebrandt’s home, and went to a neighbor’s house asking for food and water.

The child had duct tape on his ankles and wrists, and open wounds, according to the document. He appeared to be emaciated and malnourished. The neighbor called the police, who also found Ms. Franke’s 10-year-old daughter, Eve, at Ms. Hildebrandt’s. She also appeared to be emaciated and malnourished, according to the court document. The police contacted the Utah Division of Child and Family Services, and a total of four children were taken into its care.