Ruby Franke: Johnny Depp’s Lawyer Reacts to Horrific Photos, Videos in Child Abuse Case

Ruby Franke and Jodi Hildebrandt’s crimes against Franke’s two youngest children are in the spotlight as Utah officials release hours of video of the home where the young children were abused for months. Both Franke and Hildebrandt entered guilty pleas to aggravated child abuse and were sent to prison. Law&Crime’s Jesse Weber analyzes the most chilling evidence against the two abusers with Ben Chew, Johnny Depp's former attorney.

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[scottn]

Ruby was abusing her kids before she met Jody. Maybe she wasn't abusing them as badly physically, but she was absolutely still abusing them.

[anthropologybear]

Franke's refusal to speak was neither "stoic" nor "passive": it was a demonstration of intense self-control, defiance, and contempt. She is dangerous.

[punky]

Ruby fallowed Jodi because she found in Jodi someone who has the same brutal values towards children. I don’t believe she was brainwashed at all. Ruby found someone who validated the abuse she had already been inflicting on her children, and I hope the parole board sees it that way too.

[Madybananas]

I love that neighbor. "Sit down son." So empathetic and kind. His voice on the 911 call, heartbroken. Just a genuin man.

[mbsl]

“If you knew all the pieces, you’d have a lot of empathy for what’s going on.” Yes Jodi, you’re correct. All of us have a lot of empathy… for the CHILDREN, not you.

[winged]

Ruby was abusive towards her children way before Jodi Hildebrandt. And Kevin went along with it all the way.

[obnoxiousbluebird]

I'm glad Ben used the word "torture", because I've heard people call it "religious extremism", "child abuse" etc, but when you look at how they were treated, the enduring suffering, and physical/emotional harm done to those young children was nothing less than torture!

[XxSomber]

I just read rubys journal entry! She literally shaved her baby girls hair off because she was "acting" sick, and couldnt complete the physical torture task her mother ordered her to do. Thats fn SICK.

[cassandraperry]

I love how Ben Chew openly admits he doesn't believe Ruby is sincere - that type of evil seeps to the core. He said "something much darker" and I believe that she also chose the route that could influence a lesser sentence. I hope they charge her to the max and our community starts raising awareness that freedom of religion is NOT freedom to abuse. Ever.

[mariegarrett]

Ruby got off on abusing her children. Some people drink, some do drugs, some people over eat…….Ruby’s drug was abusing and torturing her kids. She is evil on a whole other level! I hope she NEVER gets out of prison.

[debprobst]

That poor little guy was so polite even though he was in pain when he asked for help. To have his mother say he was demonic was projection on her part. They both better stay in prison the full 30 years

[Mom_]

RF saved his life and his sisters. So proud of him. Poor child. Put me in a room with mommy dearest for 5 minutes. No cameras allowed..jmo

[elisamartinez]

The neighbor did call the police and cried, explaining how the boy looked it was so heart-wrenching

[cdmurphy]

The irony is not lost that the cop lets Ruby know that the cuffs were loose enough to get two fingers into them, while R's restraints were so tight they wore deep wounds into his ankles and wrists.

[Anna-pzry]

All the friends of Jodi and Ruby who used the kids to clean their houses need to be charged too.

[alexbryers]

I STILL don’t understand why Franke’s husband hasn’t been charged?!! He was part of the original YouTube abusive channel!!!

[vczxcgd]

And Jodi's body language: Slapping her hands down on the table means, she's angry and defensive. They are both such liars. She is NOT a licensed psychologist either. She is a CULT leader. Please lock them up for at least 40 years.

[Marcella]

Ruby only made that speech because on her jailhouse call she said if you sound remorseful they will give you a lighter sentence. She’s not sorry she just wanted less jail time.

[zoorenard]

She said : im not done, after being arrested. She truly believe the kids are the devil, and I 100% she would have ended them if R didnt escape. 4 years is not nearly enough. She is treated better in prison than what her childrens suffered

[snowwhite]

Ruby waterboarded her son and the prosecutor said she should be let out of prison in four years. 😡🤬
The prosecutor is an absolute fool who was easily manipulated by Ruby's "Thank you I want to go to prison, you're not sending me to prison speech."