Viewers threaten to boycott Lifetime's Ruby Franke biopic: 'Trauma for profit'
- Mormon Mom Gone Wrong: The Ruby Franke Story airs on Lifetime on Oct 26
- Mommy vlogger Franke was sentenced to up 30 years in prison for child abuse
- READ MORE: Shari Franke addresses lawmakers on dangers of family vlogging
Viewers are vowing to boycott an upcoming biopic based on the crimes of Mormon mommy vlogger Ruby Franke.
Mormon Mom Gone Wrong: The Ruby Franke Story will premiere on Lifetime on October 26, but people are already threatening not to watch it and accusing the network of 'trauma for profit'.
Franke, who was a popular influencer and YouTube star, was sentenced to up to 30 years in prison in February for brutally abusing her 12-year-old son and nine-year-old daughter in a 'concentration camp-like setting'.
The Lifetime film, which stars Heather Locklear as Franke's business partner Jodi Hildebrandt, will cover the abuse inside of their house of horrors all the way through to the pair's eventual arrest.
The comments section on the movie's official YouTube trailer are overwhelmingly negative, with hundreds of potential viewers promising to boycott the 'disgusting' project.
'Mormon Mom Gone Wrong: The Ruby Franke Story' will premiere on Lifetime on October 26, but viewers are already threatening to boycott the film
In February, Ruby Franke was sentenced to up to 30 years in prison for brutally abusing two of her six children in a 'concentration camp-like setting
Ruby (left) was arrested along with her business partner Jodi Hildebrandt (right)
'Do not support this. The family was not aware of the making of this and no proceeds are going to the children. These kids are traumatized enough,' said one comment, which had 1,900 upvotes.
'This is absolutely disgusting. Barely a year from these events occurring and a movie has been made. Without contacting the Franke family and children. Horrible. Just horrible. This movie should not be released!' wrote another.
'This is highly inappropriate and takes away from the fact that real children suffered, and are STILL recovering from, this extremely traumatic ordeal,' a third added.
A fourth wrote, 'How totally disrespectful that a once respected Heather Locklear would be this desperate to play this role!! I hope she gets canceled for this!! How horrible!'
Ruby's eldest daughter Shari, now 21, recently called the film 'trash' in a scathing post.
'A note about the Lifetime movie coming out about my family: I saw the trailer suddenly in class and had an anxiety attack,' she wrote on Instagram.
'None of us were contracted about the movie. None of the proceeds are going to the kids. This movie is trash and only hurts my siblings more. Please do not support this movie.'
The Lifetime film stars Heather Locklear (pictured) as Franke's business partner Jodi Hildebrandt
The movie will cover the abuse inside of Franke's house of horrors all the way through to her eventual arrest
Last October, Shari - who is estranged from her parents - wrote on Instagram that there were 'not even words to describe how upside down my life has become.'
'I've cried, had an infinite number of panic attacks, had way too much ice cream, and yet life goes on,' she continued.
She credited her faith with seeing her through this troubling time.
'Therapy has literally saved me, but God has too,' Shari wrote. 'My life is somehow becoming more beautiful and fulfilling, despite all the terrible things going on.'
A month before, she had claimed that relatives had been 'trying to tell police and CPS for years about' her mother's abuse.
Shari added that she was 'so glad they finally decided to step' and the kids were safe.
This February, Ruby Franke was sentenced to up to 30 years in prison in February for aggravated child abuse.
The YouTube mom, who dispensed parenting advice to her 2.5 million subscribers, subjected her kids to horrors including starvation and forcing her son to endure severe sunburn by working outdoors for several weeks without adequate protection.
Her business partner, Jodi Hildebrandt, a mental health counselor, was also sentenced to 30 years after it was revealed that she was involved in the abuse.
Franke's estranged husband, Kevin, had not seen the children for more than a year.
Disgraced mommy blogger Ruby is pictured following her arrest
Ruby is pictured with her husband and six children prior to her arrest
During Franke's trial, prosecutors played dramatic doorbell camera footage that showed the disturbing moment her son arrived at a neighbor's house in shackles asking for help and directions to the police.
In the video, the emaciated and badly bruised 12-year-old boy tentatively approached his neighbors on their porch after managing to escape the torture of his mom via a window.
The child had just escaped from Hildebrandt's home, investigators said.
Images released by the courts also highlight the extent of the abuse by Franke and show the two emaciated victims with infected cuts on their legs, duct tape around their arms and feet and scratches and bruises on their bodies.
Police discovered a cramped safe room in the basement of the property that was locked from the outside, rope that would be used to tie up the children and adult diapers.
The boy later told prosecutors that his mom and Hildebrandt would also dress their wounds with honey and cayenne pepper, both of which were found at the home following a search.
The children were subject to torture including being tied up with rope, forced to wear adult diapers and locked inside a tiny safe room.
Images released highlight the extent of the abuse by Franke and show two emaciated victims with infected cuts on their legs and duct tape around their arms and feet
Photos highlight the extent of the abuse by Franke including duct tape wrapped around the arms and legs of a young boy
They were regularly denied food, water, beds to sleep in and virtually all forms of entertainment.
Meanwhile, pictures show the kitchen and pantry was filled with food and Franke's large office dedicated to making YouTube videos.
The young kids were prohibited from interacting with others and were hidden in the home when people came to visit.'
Investigators added they were forced to do manual labor outdoors in the extreme summer heat without shoes or socks.
Two children were told they were possessed and the torture was done as a way to help them.
Chief Deputy Washington County Attorney Ryan Shaum said in a written statement that Franke and Hildebrandt's actions amounted to 'some of the worst child abuse' he had seen in nearly 30 years of prosecuting.