Ruby Franke’s Husband Kevin Shares The place He Stands with Estranged Spouse After Arrest

In an interview with PEOPLE for its newest cowl story, Kevin — who shares six youngsters with Ruby — admitted that whereas he would not see a future along with his estranged spouse following her crimes, he nonetheless loves her.

“I am not ashamed to say that after being married over 20 years to that lady, I really did and nonetheless do love her,” he stated. “However that does not excuse what she did, and it would not excuse how she harm our kids and the way she harm me.”

“There’s some bridges that you just simply cannot cross after which cross again. She burned the bridges, and so I am transferring on,” he added. “And I’ll do what’s finest for my youngsters, for my household, and for myself, and that is not going to incorporate her.”

Kevin, 46, and Ruby, 43, married in 2000, however had been separated for over a yr when Ruby and her enterprise associate, Jodi Hildebrant, have been arrested in August 2023 on youngster abuse costs referring to Franke’s youngsters. The arrests got here after the Frankes’ then-12-year-old son Russell climbed out of a window from Hildebrandt’s dwelling and confirmed as much as a neighbor’s “emaciated and malnourished.”

In February 2024, Ruby and Hildebrandt have been sentenced to 4 consecutive sentences of 1 to fifteen years in jail. Kevin was not charged with any crimes. He filed for divorce from Ruby in November 2023, and advised PEOPLE they’re “shut” to finalizing it.

Throughout his interview with the outlet, Kevin revealed that his estranged spouse despatched him letters after she started serving her sentence on the Utah State Correctional Facility, sharing that he finally requested for her to cease.

“The final letter that I obtained from her from jail was perhaps in March or April of final yr,” Kevin stated. “After which I requested the Division of Corrections to ask her to cease writing me. I did not need to hear anymore. I did not like what she was saying.”

Nevertheless, he is “not going to share” the contents of the letters. “That is between her and me. However it simply did not really feel proper and it did not really feel good, and I am very indignant,” Kevin admitted. “I am nonetheless very indignant.”

This comes simply days forward of the discharge of Hulu’s three-part docuseries, Satan within the Household: The Fall of Ruby Franke. It’s going to mark the primary time Kevin — together with the 2 eldest Franke youngsters, Shari, 21, and Chad, 20, — will share their story in-depth on digicam.

The logline for the collection reads: “When ‘momfluencer’ Ruby Franke is arrested for youngster abuse, nobody can perceive how her seemingly glad household turned trapped in a nightmare. Her husband and eldest youngsters share the within story of the scandal that tore aside their household.”

Ruby’s household vlogging journey dates again to 2015 when she created the YouTube channel, 8Passengers, which adopted her and Kevin’s life at dwelling with their six youngsters, together with Ruby giving controversial parenting recommendation. 8Passengers was finally deleted in 2022, and he or she and Hildebrandt launched a brand new channel, ConneXions, earlier than they have been finally arrested and charged with youngster abuse.

Kevin and his eldest son Chad spoke out of their first tv interview, showing on Tuesday’s Good Morning America with ABC Information’ Eva Pilgrim.

The dad of six — who voiced his help for a Utah invoice that protects youngsters who seem of their dad and mom’ content material on social media final week — shared a warning about placing youngsters on public platforms.

“I need individuals to know that there’s actual hazard whenever you place your self or your loved ones or youngsters out onto public social media,” he stated.

“There are actual penalties related to that, and I need individuals to know that, to only watch out with who they select to observe, with who they select to placed on a pedestal and to place their religion and to place their belief in,” he added. “As a result of in the event you put your belief within the unsuitable individual, it could have huge penalties in your life.”

Elsewhere within the interview, Kevin and Chad recalled how the vlog negatively impacted their household, with the previous saying the state of affairs “regularly shifted” when Hildebrandt got here into the image, describing the therapist and life coach as “agency” and “very authoritative.”

“We thought, ‘Oh, that is the proper match.’ What turned stunning to me was when the main target regularly shifted away from simply solely on our kids to us as a pair,” Kevin advised Pilgrim. “She took management of one thing that was very, essential to me — my marriage, my household — and he or she used these like a carrot on a stick.”

“Wanting again, I handled her as a god, and I trusted her a lot,” Chad added.

Kevin opened up about transferring out of the home and chopping off all contact along with his household, per Ruby and Hildebrandt’s directions, to “work on his dependancy to selfishness,” as ABC Information described it.

When requested how he might depart his household, regardless of the horrors occurring inside, Kevin stated, “The underside line is that I used to be selecting to belief a licensed skilled psychological well being counselor and my spouse.”

He added that they “gave some horrible counsel,” earlier than admitting that he has “regrets.”

“I want that I hadn’t achieved these issues,” Kevin stated.

Regardless of her crimes, Kevin stated that he nonetheless has emotions for his estranged spouse, sharing related sentiments to what he shared in his interview with PEOPLE.

“I do [still love her]. I do not suppose I am going to ever cease loving her,” he stated. “Does that imply that I need to let her again into my life, let her again into my youngsters’ lives? Completely not.”

The interview did finish on a a lot lighter be aware, although, with Kevin and Chad speaking about life at dwelling whereas Ruby is incarcerated.

“Having fun with time with my siblings, it feels much more free,” Chad stated when requested what “happiness” seems like for them.

“It is great to be surrounded by my youngsters,” Kevin added. “There’s laughter once more.”

“We’ve got lots of new furry associates,” he continued. “It’s a zoo. And it is humorous as a result of they chew up all of the floorboards and the whole lot, and I am simply considering, ‘If Ruby was right here, she’d be livid.’ However Ruby’s not and I do not care. And I am glad.”

Ruby gave a press release to ABC Information in response to the interview, saying, “She doesn’t need to trigger any misery to the Franke youngsters, and desires them to know they’re liked and her precedence.” Hildebrant declined to remark.

Satan within the Household: The Fall of Ruby Franke premieres on February 27 on Hulu.

If you’re experiencing or witness youngster abuse, name the Childhelp Nationwide Little one Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Little one or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. In the event you imagine a toddler is in fast hazard, name 911.