(NewsNation) — Jodi Hildebrandt, once the business partner of Ruby Franke, a former YouTube creator, pleaded guilty to four counts of felony child abuse Wednesday, local media is reporting.
Two other counts of child abuse against Hildebrandt were dismissed as part of a plea agreement, KUTV reported.
Franke last week also pleaded guilty to child abuse charges.
She and her husband, Kevin, once gave parenting advice on the popular “8 Passengers” YouTube channel. After the channel was removed from YouTube earlier this year, Franke began a new business venture with Hildebrandt focused on counseling called ConneXions Classroom.
In court last Monday, Franke pleaded guilty to four counts of second-degree felony aggravated child abuse. Two of the initial counts were dropped as part of her plea agreement as well.
While Franke and two of her children were staying with Hildebrandt, her neighbors called 911 after Franke’s 12-year-old son climbed a window and ran to their house to ask for food and water. The child had duct tape on his ankle as well as lacerations from being tied up with rope. When police went to Hildebrandt’s home, they found Franke’s 10-year-old daughter, who was described as being malnourished.
Franke’s and Hildebrandt’s plea agreement documents detailed instances where the children were forced to work outside in the summer heat without shoes and remain out there at all hours of the day and night. This resulted in “repeated and serious” sunburns where the children’s skin would blister and peel, the plea agreement said.
The 12 and 10-year-old were denied food and water, according to the documents, and both were told they were “evil” and “possessed” and needed to repent.
Hildebrandt’s plea deal, obtained by NewsNation local affiliate KTVX, states that she made the children perform “wall-sits” and made them carry boxes full of books up and down stairs.
Franke’s two other minor children were found at Franke’s home. All four were taken into Washington County custody, The Salt Lake Tribune wrote.
According to the newspaper, Hildebrandt had been a licensed clinical mental health counselor since 2004. She has faced child abuse accusations before: In 2010, a teen living with Hildebrandt told authorities they were forced to sleep outside, that Hildebrandt had not enrolled them in school, and that she acted like the teen was “evil.” The Salt Lake Tribune says Hildebrandt was not charged in this case.
In 2012, she was put on probation after allegedly discussing a patient with his leaders in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and Brigham Young University, The Salt Lake Tribune said.
Because of the felony child abuse charges filed against her, The Salt Lake Tribune said, Hildebrandt voluntarily surrendered her counseling license on Sept. 19.
A sentencing for Hildebrandt and Franke has been scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 20. The women face up to 15 years in prison for each guilty count for a maximum of 60 years, and will remain in state custody until sentencing.
“She has pled guilty because she … did not want these children to have to testify,” Douglas Terry, Hildebrandt’s attorney, said of his client, per KTVX. “She takes responsibility, and it is her main concern at this point that these children can heal, both physically and emotionally.”
Washington County Attorney Eric Clarke said in a news release that he is “pleased” the cases against Hildebrandt and Franke were resolved without a trial that would require witnesses to testify.
“One of the toughest things we ask victims of alleged abuse to do is testify in a trial against their abusers,” he wrote. “We are grateful for the multidisciplinary team that investigated this case. We have great law enforcement officers, case workers, and Children’s Justice Centers’ staff in our area and Utah County.”
NewsNation local affiliate KTVX and NewsNation digital producer Steph Whiteside contributed to this article.
