‘Panic Room’ Uncovered in Residence Linked to Abusive Mommy Blogger Ally

(IntegrityTimes.com) – When Youtuber Ruby Franke and her business partner, family therapist Jodi Hildebrandt were arrested for abusing Franke’s two youngest children in August of 2023, Utah authorities found a disturbing room the in the basement of Hildebrandt’s home in Ivins, Utah where Franke had sent her children to stay. Utah prosecutors recently released the pictures and video footage revealing the basement “panic room” that were a key part of the evidence in the trial corroborating Franke’s son’s testimony.

The room in the basement was protected with a vault-like door in the basement below the $5.3million home’s garage. Inside was a murphy bed, a refrigerator, cabinets and some cleaning supplies. Police found a long strand of rope tied with multiple knots and handcuffs in the room as well. There was also gauze and a jar of cayenne pepper paste found in the safe room, which Franke’s son said had been used to dress the wounds which had been clearly visible to the neighbor who had contacted the police on his behalf when he escaped from Hildebrandt’s home.

The police found the room when they conducted a security sweep of Hildebrandt’s house, also finding Franke’s 9-year-old daughter sitting in a closet in Hildebrandt’s bathroom. The child had a shaved head and was emaciated. Police brought gave her pizza as they patiently coaxed her out. After rescuing Franke’s youngest children, Police sought out and confirmed the safety of her other 4 children, two of whom are adults, and two are living at another adult’s residence in Utah.

Both Hildebrandt and Franke were found guilty of four counts of aggravated child abuse and will be serving between four and thirty years in prison although the exact terms have yet to be decided by the Utah Board of Pardons and Parole. Franke and her husband, Kevin Franke, had been separated for more than a year at the time of her arrest and has since filed for divorce. Franke’s three sisters, who also parenting influencers, have made public statements disassociated themselves from her.