Show summary Hide summary
A new wave of attention around the Franke family has been driven by streaming investigations. Netflix’s The Evil Influencer revisits disturbing claims of child abuse linked to Ruby Franke and Jodi Hildebrandt. Yet the film leaves some personal questions unanswered. Shari Franke, the eldest daughter, has offered new context in interviews and a memoir that probe a rumored relationship between the two women.
How streaming documentaries shaped the narrative
Before Netflix released its documentary, Hulu aired a separate series examining Ruby Franke and the 8 Passengers channel. That earlier show included an interview with Shari Franke.
Knicks superfan Ben Stiller skips Oscars to watch gritty win over Warriors
U.S. embassies warn: 5 new travel alerts after demonstrations spread
In that conversation, she described moments that made her suspect more than a working relationship existed between Ruby and Jodi. She recalled an instance in which she entered a bedroom and noticed what she felt were intimate signs, like candles and massage supplies. Soon after, she told the interviewer she believed the pair were lovers.
Both documentaries renewed public interest in the family’s online presence and in allegations of abuse. But viewers and former family members say important personal details were not fully explored on screen.
New passages from Shari Franke’s memoir reveal private moments
Shari expanded on her memories in a memoir published this year. She recounts a night when she woke and saw Ruby slipping out of her room. The scene, she writes, left her unsettled.
- She describes Ruby’s appearance as disheveled and hurried.
- Shari says Ruby returned to the bedroom she shared with Jodi’s husband.
- Shari interprets Ruby’s expression as “mischievous,” a word she uses to convey how strange the moment felt.
Throughout the book, Shari threads these recollections among larger accounts of life inside the Franke household. The memoir places the alleged relationship in the context of daily routines and control that some family members say paved the way for abuse.
What Shari says she discovered after the arrests
After law enforcement removed Jodi and Ruby from the home, Shari was allowed to retrieve items the police had not seized. She says that during this visit she accessed one of Ruby’s laptops and a cloud account.
- Shari reports finding text message exchanges between the two women.
- She describes reading emails and notes that, in her view, suggested a sexual element to their relationship.
- She also mentions journal entries that indicated emotional and physical strain tied to the relationship.
Shari says she did not continue searching for more intimate details once she felt she had enough to understand the relationship’s nature. She framed the discovery as personal confirmation, not as material she intended to publicize.
What the messages reportedly showed
- Expressions of frustration over unequal expectations.
- References to physical demands and unreciprocated attention.
- Notes that imply a private connection extending beyond friendship.
Shari has emphasized restraint, saying the specifics of any romantic encounters were not hers to exploit.
Charges, sentencing, and public silence on the alleged romance
In February 2024, Jodi Hildebrandt and Ruby Franke received prison sentences ranging from four to 30 years. Their convictions related to abusive conduct toward the Franke children.
Neither woman has publicly confirmed or denied the allegations about a romantic relationship. Court filings and trial testimony focused primarily on the abuse charges, not on their private connection.
- The legal record centers on child welfare and criminal responsibility.
- Family members, including Shari, have provided personal testimony outside the courtroom.
- Streaming documentaries and the memoir have supplied narrative context for audiences.
Why the alleged relationship matters to the public record
Details about a private relationship between caregivers can change how the public understands motive and household dynamics.
Observers say the alleged connection helps explain patterns of control, favoritism, and secrecy described by former family members.
Still, allegations remain just that: claims reported by a family insider and explored in recent media. Courts punished the abuse documented in trial evidence. Questions about personal conduct persist in the public conversation.
