Ruby Franke and her YouTube channel, “8 Passengers,” which launched in 2015, was once a popular account, documenting her seemingly perfect life with her husband and six children in Springville, Utah. The channel quickly gained over 2 million followers. However, in August 2023, Ruby was arrested for child abuse alongside her partner, Jodi Hildebrandt, and the channel’s content no longer reflected the strong Mormon family image she had worked to create.
The real-life story has been adapted by Hulu into a docuseries that released on February 27. It features raw footage obtained from the former YouTuber, along with accounts from her husband, two of her children, and more.
To learn more about her husband, their current relationship status, and other details, keep reading below.
Who Is Ruby Franke’s Husband?
Ruby’s estranged husband is Kevin Franke. The couple married in 2000.
When the family vlog started in 2015, it featured Kevin, an assistant engineering professor at Brigham Young University in Utah at the time, Ruby, a stay-at-home mom, and their six children, according to The Washington Post. It’s unclear what Kevin is doing now.
Are Ruby Franke & Her Husband Divorced?
Ruby and Kevin are still married, though Kevin filed for divorce in 2023. In an interview with PEOPLE published on February 26, 2025, he mentioned that they were “trying to reach a settlement” and described the process as “a long one, well over a year,” but noted that they were “close” to finalizing it.
When Ruby was arrested, Kevin informed police that they had been separated, and he had agreed not to contact her or the children in her care, according to court documents. In an interview before the documentary’s premiere, he shared with PEOPLE that Jodi had used “indoctrination, coercion, and gaslighting” to manipulate him into believing he was the issue in the family, leading him to move out.
Kevin was not arrested or charged with any crimes.
Who Has Custody of Ruby Franke’s Children?
Following Ruby’s August 2023 arrest, four of her six children were placed into custody under child protective services, according to PEOPLE. Kevin has been fighting for full custody of the children in juvenile court, but as of April 2024, they were still in state care.
“He just wants to do what’s best for his kids, get them back, have them under his care, and protect them,” Kevin’s attorney, Randy Kester, said in a statement at the time.
The eldest, Shari and Chad, now 21 and 20 years old respectively, are living their own lives and hope to gain a sense of agency in how they choose to share (or not share) their experiences with others. Kevin also told the outlet in February 2025 that he has started a family tradition of having the two over for Sunday dinners.
Where Is Ruby Franke Now?
Ruby is currently incarcerated at the Utah State Correctional Facility.
In February 2024, Ruby was sentenced to four separate prison terms ranging from 1 to 15 years, to be served consecutively, according to reports from TODAY, KSL 5, and KUTV. However, due to Utah law on consecutive sentences, she will serve no more than 30 years, as reported by Business Insider at the time.
In her 2025 memoir The House of My Mother: A Daughter’s Quest for Freedom, Shari wrote that she heard her mother, Ruby, is working toward a degree while in prison.
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 for confidential support.
