Chief Advocate Podcast: 8 Passengers

Maya Hines ’25, Sophia Lingley ’25, and Charlotte Yakavonis ’26 • March 27, 2025

The family featured on the 8 Passengers YouTube channel includes Abby Franke, Eve Franke, Russell Franke, Chad Franke, Julie Franke, Shari Franke, and parents Ruby Franke and Kevin Franke. (Courtesy of IMDb)

8 Passengers was a YouTube channel started in 2015 that surrounded a family of eight. The mother blogged significant life moments and experiences, as well as ones that weren’t exactly suitable for online. The audience started to suspect her kids were neglected based on Ruby Franke sharing invasive, embarrassing moments and abusive tactics she used on her children. As time went on, her youngest son escaped the house and informed police about just how bad the abuse was.

Later, a documentary on Hulu revealed the facts using body cam footage and real sources from the home, like journals and even pictures of torture devices that Ruby Franke and her co-conspirator, Jodi Hildebrandt, used on the kids.

Maya Hines, Sophia Lingley, and Charlotte Yakavonis discuss the documentary on this episode of the Chief Advocate Podcast.

About the Contributors

Maya Hines ’25, Reporter

Maya Hines is a senior at Nonnewaug High School. She is a first-year reporter for the Chief Advocate. She is part of the agriculture program at the school and is studying ag production. In her free time, she works with animals and is at the farm. She enjoys writing about sports, school events, and FFA activities.

Sophia Lingley ’25, Reporter

Sophia Lingley is a senior at Nonnewaug from Woodbury. She is a first-year reporter for the Nonnewaug Chief Advocate, and is hoping to create impactful pieces, as well as being able to cover aspects of the school culture among many other things. When she graduates, she hopes to major in social work and work as a counselor in the future.

Charlotte Yakavonis ’26, Reporter

Charlotte Yakavonis is a junior at Nonnewaug. She is from Bethlehem and this is her first year as a writer for NHS Chief Advocate. She takes and enjoys photography.