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‘YouTube Mom’ Facing Child Abuse Charges Dies

She ran the “Fantastic Adventures” channel on YouTube before she was arrested and accused of abusing the children for forgetting their lines.

A woman who ran a popular YouTube channel before being arrested and accused of abusing the same children featured in the videos has died before she could stand trial, officials said. Machelle Hobson, 48, died of “health conditions” at a hospital in Scottsdale, Arizona, police said Tuesday. Hobson was arrested in March and faced dozens of child abuse charges after her foster children told investigators they were starved and locked in closets for days, forced to sleep on the floor, and physically beaten for failing to remember their lines. ABC15 reports that detectives found bottles of pepper spray at the home, which was sometimes used on children’s genitals, according to court documents. Hobson ran the “Fantastic Adventures” channel on YouTube, which prior to her arrest had over 700,000 subscribers. The Pinal County Attorney’s Office told ABC15 that they will wait for an official death certificate before dismissing the charges, but will continue to pursue Hobson's assets.