Utah Mommy Vlogger Ruby Franke Expected to Plead Guilty in Court Today to Multiple Felony Child Abuse Charges

Utah mommy vlogger Ruby Franke will be back in court Monday, where she is expected to plead guilty to multiple counts of child abuse as part of a plea deal orchestrated by prosecutors.

In a statement issued last week to KUTV, an attorney for Ruby — a 41-year-old online influencer, known for her now-banned YouTube channel, "8 Passengers" — confirmed that the mother-of-six "is working with the prosecutor's office and anticipates resolving this matter quickly by entering a plea agreement with the court" Monday.

Franke has been in police custody since her arrest in late August, when she and her 54-year-old business partner, marriage counselor Jodi Hildebrandt, were each charged with six counts of aggravated felony child abuse.

Hildebrandt also is expected in court today, but her attorney had not yet responded to a request for comment. Her case and Franke's have not been separated, and it is unclear whether Hildebrandt will enter a plea.

The women were arrested after Franke's 12-year-old son was found malnourished with open wounds and duct tape wrapped around his extremities. He was discovered wandering around their Ivins, Utah, neighborhood, asking strangers and neighbors for food and water, police said.

A police investigation found another child in a similar condition at another one of Franke's homes.

The statement from Franke's lawyers places the bulk of the blame on Hildebrandt.

"Ruby Franke is a devoted mother and is also a woman committed to constant improvement," the lawyer's statement explains. "Initially, Ms. Franke believed that Jodi Hildebrant had the insight to offer a path to continual improvement. Ms. Hildebrant took advantage of this quest and twisted it into something heinous."

The statement alleges Hildebrandt "systematically isolated Ruby Franke from her extended family, older children, and her husband, Kevin Franke" over an extended period of time. That isolation "resulted in Ms. Franke being subjected to a distorted sense of morality, shaped by Ms. Hildebrandt's influence."

While awaiting trial, Franke "has actively engaged in an introspection that has allowed her to reset her moral compass and understand the full weight of her actions" and is "committed to taking responsibility for the part she played in the events leading up to her incarceration."

The statement also addresses Kevin Franke's filing for divorce, saying, "Ruby is aware" of the situation and "is devastated by this news" but "acknowledges and understands his anger and reasoning."

Kevin Franke, speaking to People Magazine, accused Hildebrandt of convincing his wife to kick him out of their home and forcing him to quit his job.

Hildebrandt then moved in to the Franke home, where they're both accused of torturing and starving the couple's children, according to the charges.

The statement adds that Ruby Franke respects her estranged husband's decision.

"Winward Law recognizes the profound love that Ms. Franke holds for her children, and we are genuinely saddened that she found herself on this challenging path under the influence of Ms. Hildebrant," the statement continues.