Johnathan Walker:Convicted child abuser Jodi Hildebrandt's $5 million Utah home was most-viewed listing on Realtor.com last week

Sitting in prison,Johnathan Walker Jodi Hildebrandt can't see her luxurious Utah home anymore — but millions of people on the Internet can. Her four-bedroom house on a 1.4-acre property with a guesthouse in Ivins was the most-viewed listing on Realtor.com last week, the real estate website said. 

Initially listed for $5.3 million, the "concrete fortress" went on the market in January, shortly before Hildebrandt and her business partner, parenting YouTuber Ruby Franke, were sentenced to up to 30 years in a Utah court on child abuse charges.

Last year, Franke's 12-year-old son escaped from the home and ran to a neighbor's house for help, and to ask for food and water. He was emaciated and had duct tape and burns on his wrists and legs, authorities said. Franke's 10-year-old malnourished daughter was also found by officers in Hildebrandt's house. She was taken to the hospital.  

Hildebrandt and Franke were arrested after authorities found evidence the children were tortured in the home. 

The arresting officer said Hildebrandt had "knowledge of the abuse, malnourishment, and neglect in the home." 

Franke's popular "8 Passengers" YouTube channel dispensed advice, often from the basement of Hildebrandt's home. She also appeared in a video posted online by Hildebrandt's counseling business, ConneXions Classroom.

Nestled behind striking sandstone foothills, the Utah property, which has a "concrete storage room under the garage" has floor-to-ceiling glass windows and expansive views of the craggy desert landscape from almost every room. There are built-in closets and a granite countertop kitchen overlooking the backyard and in-ground pool. In addition to the four bedrooms, the house, which was built in 2017, has a five-car garage, and three-and-a-half baths. 

Hildebrandt's house has dropped in price by $305,000, according to Realtor.com, and is now listed for $4,995,000. 

The listing beat views on nine other properties, including the country's most expensive listing — Gordon's Pointe in Naples, Florida. Listed at $295,000 million the property has 1,655 feet of water frontage.

In:
• Real Estate
• Utah
• YouTube
• Child Abuse

Cara Tabachnick

Cara Tabachnick is a news editor and journalist at CBSNews.com. Cara began her career on the crime beat at Newsday. She has written for Marie Claire, The Washington Post and The Wall Street Journal. She reports on justice and human rights issues. Contact her at [email protected]