Jodi Hildebrandt | |
|---|---|
| Born | Jodi Nan Hildebrandt 1969 (age 55–56) |
| Status | Incarcerated |
| Alma mater | Brigham Young University (BA) University of Utah (MA) |
| Occupation(s) | former counselor, parenting coach, and YouTuber |
| Years active | 2005–2024 |
| Conviction | Aggravated child abuse (4 counts) |
| Criminal penalty | 4 to 60 years (30 year maximum under Utah statute). [a] |
| Accomplice | Ruby Franke |
| Details | |
| Victims | 6 |
Date apprehended | August 30, 2023 |
| Imprisoned at | Utah State Correctional Facility |
Jodi Nan Hildebrandt is an American convicted child abuser, former counselor, retired businesswoman, and YouTuber. On August 30, 2023, Hildebrandt and Ruby Franke were arrested in Washington County, Utah, and charged with six counts of aggravated child abuse of two of Franke's children. Hildebrandt ultimately pleaded guilty to four counts, and was sentenced to serve between four and thirty [a] years in prison on February 20, 2024. [1]
Jodi Hildebrandt was born to Jay and Florence Hildebrandt in 1969. She attended Canyon del Oro High School and played on its girl's basketball team. [3] Hildebrandt was part of the high school's 1986-87 team: when the team finished with an undefeated 28–0 record and captured the school's first state championship. [4]
Hildebrandt was raised by devout followers of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and her father was a pilot with the United States Air Force. [5]
She participated in the Miss Orem pageant in 1990. [3]
Upon her high school graduation, Hildebrandt attended Ricks College for one year and played on its women's basketball team for its 1987-88 season. [6] In 1996, Hildebrandt graduated from Brigham Young University with a Bachelor of Arts in English language & literature. [7] In 2003, Hildebrandt graduated from the University of Utah with a Master of Arts in educational psychology. Her masters thesis was titled "Experiences of Latter-day Saints women and how their culture influences their manifestations of sexuality." [8]
Hildebrandt was a counselor licensed in Utah starting in 2005. [9] [10] In 2007, she founded the relationship and business counseling business Connexions (styled ConneXions) in Orem, Utah. [11] In 2012, she was the director of LifeStar Utah County, a franchisee of a national company based in Utah that specializes in the psychiatric and psychological treatment of pornography and sex addiction. [12]
In 2012, Hildebrandt's license was put on probation for 18 months after she "disclosed sensitive confidential information" of a former client to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and Brigham Young University between 2008 and 2010, according to Utah Department of Commerce's Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing documents. [9] [10] The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced that Hildebrandt was no longer on their Family Services' referral list due to the case. [12]
Hildebrandt was a business partner of family YouTube vlogger Ruby Franke. [9] They launched a YouTube channel called ConneXions together in 2022, [13] and created a joint Instagram account called Moms of Truth, [13] offering parenting classes. [14]
On August 30, 2023, Hildebrandt was arrested in Washington County, Utah, and charged with six counts of aggravated child abuse. She surrendered her license as a counselor pending resolution of the court case and a disciplinary investigation. [15] [16] After the arrest of Hildebrandt and Franke, YouTube banned both from the platform. [17] After pleading guilty to four counts of aggravated child abuse, [18] she was sentenced in 2024 to four consecutive terms of one to 15 years, the maximum for each count under Utah law. [19] Prison sentences in Utah are indeterminate, with a minimum and maximum time frame. The offender must serve the whole sentence unless the Board of Pardons releases them sooner. However, under Utah law, consecutive sentences cannot run beyond 30 years unless the offender has a maximum life term. [1] [2]
As a result of Hildebrandt's criminal convictions, the Utah Department of Commerce's Division of Professional Licensing revoked her clinical mental health counseling license on May 10, 2024. [20] [21]
Hildebrandt has been imprisoned at Utah State Correctional Facility's Dell Facility since the day she was sentenced, along with Ruby Franke. [22] [23]
Kevin Franke later sued Hildebrandt for emotional distress and negligence. [24]
Jodi Hildebrandt was portrayed by Heather Locklear in the Lifetime film Mormon Mom Gone Wrong: The Ruby Franke Story . [25]
Her case was also featured in the true crime television series The Curious Case Of... , which explores high-profile criminal cases and controversial figures. The episode examines Hildebrandt’s career as a self-help counselor, the allegations of abuse, and the legal proceedings that followed. [26]
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