The release of a 911 call transcript has shed light on the disturbing circumstances surrounding Ruby Franke, a prominent YouTuber, who was arrested in August 2023 on charges of aggravated child abuse.
The 12-year-old son of Franke, appearing emaciated and desperate for assistance, approached a neighbor’s residence in Ivins, Utah. The neighbor’s response indicated prior suspicions about Franke’s household.
“Jodi Hildebrandt is up there right now, so she might come looking for him here soon…All right, we need the cops here as soon as possible… She’s a bad lady. We didn’t realize how bad,” he said.
The Deseret News, through a public records request, procured the audio of the 911 call made on August 10, following the boy’s escape from Hildebrandt’s residence. Records reveal Franke’s frequent visits to Hildebrandt’s home in southern Utah, despite her family residing in Springville, Utah.
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The Deseret News, after examining police records, deduced that neighbors harbored suspicions about Franke’s activities but lacked concrete evidence. Reports from Springville neighbors indicated Franke’s tendency to leave her young children unattended for prolonged durations. A Springville police officer’s 2022 report highlighted the community’s heightened concern for the children, especially the youngest two.
Hildebrandt’s neighbor in Ivins conveyed to the dispatcher their awareness of issues at her residence. The man described the boy’s condition, noting the tape around his legs and his evident hunger and thirst. As the conversation progressed, the man observed open sores on the boy’s extremities.
“He’s very thirsty. I don’t think he needs an ambulance. I’ll let the cops decide that. But his ankles are taped up and he won’t tell us why. He has duct tape around each ankle. Yeah, there’s sores around them,” the man said, his voice betraying his emotion.
The boy’s wrists also bore similar marks. The man’s assessment was clear: The child had been restrained and bore numerous injuries. When questioned about his mother’s identity by the dispatcher, the boy identified her as Ruby Franke. The man’s attempt to ascertain if other children were in a similar predicament at Hildebrandt’s residence remained inconclusive. The conversation took a distressing turn when the boy implied that he was to blame for his condition.
“That’s hard to hear,” the dispatcher said. Law enforcement arrived shortly after this exchange.
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