Where Is Jan Broberg Now? Family Friend Abducted Her TwiceHome > Television > Stream & Chill > PeacockSource: Getty Images

Where Is Jan Broberg Now The ' Friend of the Family' Subject Was Abducted Twice as a Child

By Bianca PiazzaOct. 4 2022, Published 2:48 p.m. ET How do you know when you can truly trust another? Does a certain amount of time have to pass as you get to know a person? Or perhaps it all comes down to a feeling, a sixth sense of sorts. Intuition, if you will. Well, Mary Ann and Bob Broberg were trusting to an infuriating degree, as they allowed their church friend Robert "B" Berchtold to get dangerously close to their dear children. So close, in fact, that he kidnapped their prepubescent daughter Jan Broberg not once, but twice in Pocatello, Idaho. The first abduction occurred in 1974, when Jan was just 12 years old, and the second in 1976, when she was 14. Article continues below advertisement With his "effervescent" and "wonderful" personality, Robert slithered his way into the Brobergs' lives, his sadistic eyes set on Jan the entire time. Via fierce manipulation tactics, Robert — who had a wife and kids of his own — managed to seduce both Mary Ann and Bob, convince them that he needed to sleep beside Jan in her bed for "therapeutic reasons" (we can't even comprehend this one), and increasingly spend alone time with Jan, separating her from her family in the process. Whether it was whisking Jan away to Mexico and attempting to marry her (it was legal to marry a 12-year-old in Mexico in the '70s), or brainwashing her to believe she was part of a grand mission to save an alien race by birthing his child before she turned 16, Robert's hellish deeds are both unforgettable and unforgivable. Not only did he kidnap her twice, but Robert drugged, molested, and raped Jan Broberg as part of his disgusting scheme. He made Jan believe that, if she refused to complete the mission, one of her sisters would have to step up to the plate, or her family "would go blind or die," as detailed by Refinery29.Article continues below advertisementSource: YouTube/Dr. Phil Jan Broberg on the 'Dr. Phil' show in 2017

The heinous crimes committed against Jan Broberg are the subject of Peacock' s true-crime drama series ' A Friend of the Family '

The mind-boggling true tale was the subject of 2017's haunting documentary Abducted in Plain Sight, which blew up on Netflix in 2019. Now, in 2022, the story is the subject of Peacock drama miniseries A Friend of the Family. Created by true-crime aficionado Nick Antosca (The Act, Candy), A Friend of the Family "is based on the harrowing true story of the Broberg family, whose daughter Jan was kidnapped multiple times over a period of years by a charismatic, obsessed family 'friend,'" the official synopsis reads.Article continues below advertisement It continues: "The Brobergs — devoted to their faith, family, and community — were utterly unprepared for the sophisticated tactics their neighbor used to exploit their vulnerabilities, drive them apart, and turn their daughter against them. This is the story of how their lives were permanently altered — and how they survived." According to The Cut, the series will not include any "graphic depictions of violence or abuse." Premiering on Oct. 6, 2022, the series stars Jake Lacy as Robert "B" Berchtold, Colin Hanks as Bob Broberg, Anna Paquin as Mary Ann Broberg, and Mckenna Grace as Jan Broberg. Article continues below advertisement

Where is Jan Broberg now

Though we can only imagine that the healing process lasts a lifetime, actress, activist, survivor, and mother Jan Broberg — who now goes by Jan Broberg Felt — is thriving in 2022. Not only did she play a major part in the making of Abducted in Plain Sight, as her interview segments are seen throughout the film, but her and her mother, Mary Ann Broberg, acted as executive producers for A Friend of the Family. Having appeared in series and films like the WB's Everwood, TruTV’s I'm Sorry, 2012's Maniac, 2013's Haunt, and 2013's Iron Man 3, Jan has been in the biz since the early 1990s, per Insider. Most recently, Jan starred in 2020's horror film Behind You and 2022's The Gabby Petito Story.Article continues below advertisementSource: Getty Images Jan Broberg and the cast and crew of 'A Friend of the Family' Jan and Mary Ann (the latter of whom wrote the 2003 nonfiction book Stolen Innocence: The Jan Broberg Story) embarked on a book and public speaking tour in 2004. Shockingly, about 30 years after the first kidnapping, an armed Robert Berchtold showed up at a university Jan was speaking at and attempted to enter the building. Thankfully, things were halted before they turned ugly, and Jan was eventually granted a lifetime restraining order against Robert, as detailed by the Idaho State Journal. Robert Berchtold died in 2005.Article continues below advertisement She also launched The Jan Broberg Foundation in 2022, which "exists to shine a spotlight on abuse, and take it out from the dark, secretive closets that families and organizations hide it under to protect reputations and egos." It aims to prevent, inform, educate, and heal. Insider also mentioned that Jan became the executive director of Center for the Arts at the Kayenta Arts Foundation in May 2017. However, in 2022, she stepped down from her position. According to the foundation, she "decided to retire her position effective June 30, 2022, to focus full-time on her foundation advocating for sexual abuse victims." A Friend of the Family premieres on Oct. 6, 2022, on Peacock. If you need support, call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673 or visit RAINN.org to chat online one-on-one with a support specialist at any time.AdvertisementMore from Distractify https://www.distractify.com/entertainment/2019/02/08/-wwTtejCk/is-abducted-in-plain-sight-a-true-story The Cops That Let Dahmer Go Were Fired and Then Quietly Rehired — With Backpay 'Blonde' Costume Designer Talks Marilyn Monroe’s Controversial Dress Size (EXCLUSIVE) Latest Peacock News and UpdatesAdvertisementABOUT DistractifyAbout UsPrivacy PolicyTerms of UseDMCASitemapCONNECT with DistractifyLink to Facebook Link to TwitterLink to InstagramContact us by Email Copyright 2022 Distractify. Distractify is a registered trademark. All Rights Reserved. People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.