Entry #2: CPS Fails Again

    Hello, everyone. Today's blog is going to get a little depressing, but it needs to be said. 

    For over decades, the Child Protective Services system has been failing children everywhere. So many children suffer due to the mistakes of the system. There is a more recent case that has gone viral these past couple weeks. It has been going on for YEARS on social media and millions of people have witnessed this horrific mother. People have been trying for so long to contact authorities about her but are relieved to find out justice is FINALLY being served. 

    If your more active on social media and have the app, Tik Tok, you may know the case against Ruby Franke. Ruby Franke is famous on Youtube for "vlogging" her, her husband, and six kid's lives. She discontinued her channel a few years back after meeting a woman named Jodi Hildebrandt. Together, they launched a podcast (more like a cult) named Connexions. But, I'm getting ahead of myself...

    On August 30th, 2023, Ruby Franke was arrested after her 12 year old son climbed out of a window to ask neighbors for water and food. NBC News said he was found malnourished with open wounds and had duct tape around his wrists and ankles. However, the house he escaped from was Jodi's, meaning she was also arrested. Police officers found Ruby's 10 year old daughter at the house in the same conditions, as well. Ruby is now being charged with six counts of child abuse.

    Many people who viewed Ruby's Youtube videos and her podcast with Jodi, didn't agree with her parenting and found her to be a bad mother. In multiple videos, she admits to neglecting her children. She would threaten to take away there food as some sort of punishment. One day, her youngest forgot her lunch (mind you she was 5 years old at the time) and Ruby refused to bring her a lunch. According to her, a 5 year old is responsible to make her own lunch and remember to take it. In one video, she admits to taking her oldest son's bed away for almost a whole year because he pulled a prank on her. There was another video where she took the same son's homework and said he would have to buy it back from her because, from her own words, she owns everything. In another video, she is explaining how her youngest child was praying TO SURVIVE. I can't imagine what these kids went through when the cameras were off. This isn't even everything. Unfortunately, you can't see her channel anymore because Youtube removed it, but if you have Tik Tok, search her name and you will see everything for yourself.

    It is sad to say that many neighbors, in fact, informed CPS about her but nothing was done. There was one time when CPS tried to call her, but no one answered. After that, they gave up. They gave up on those poor kids. According to the People's article, her oldest child stated that she's been trying to get CPS involved for YEARS and she is relieved they finally stepped up. 

    My question is, how did CPS miss this? With all of the evidence within the videos and multiple people reporting her, they just let this slide? She admitted to neglecting them, isn't that enough? Sure, there wasn't signs of physical abuse, but we don't know what happened to them behind the camera. Even in the videos you could tell that the kids were scared of her. 

    Even though they are finally safe, CPS should NOT have given up after she didn't answer the phone call. If they just looked a little more into this situation, they could have prevented so many traumatizing events, including the one where a poor malnourished child with duct tape around his hands and wrists had to escape a home to get water and food. There are so many horrible cases like this, and worse, that could be stopped by CPS. They fail these children until finally it's too late. They don't begin to realize until someone's dead or hurt. CPS needs to do better for these children. 

    Thank you guys for reading! What are your thoughts about this case? Do you know any similar cases having to do with the system failing children?