He said he would abuse his daughter, Jill, if I didn't comply. He was raised with half siblings, one of which looked very much like Jan, the "little girl" he said he took care of when his Mother left home when she was sick. Oh. If she failed to do this, the aliens warned, her sister Susan would be chosen instead, and harm would come to the rest of her family. If you can [watch] and go, That would never happen to me. Cunning child predator Robert Berchtold would be accused of sexually abusing Jan Broberg over several years, but he would see little time behind bars for a multitude of reasons.. Peacock's original series, "A Friend of the Family," is based on the stranger-than-fiction story of the Broberg family, whose young daughter was twice kidnapped by trusted family friend Robert Berchtold. When they showed up at the front door, my dad would stick his hand out and go, Hello, doctor. And then they would come in and he would give them the corsage that he had made for me, to give to them, so they could give it to me for free. His mother was still alive during the whole ordeal, she would have been 60 years old or so when he abducted Jan, Must have been hard for her witnessing this of her son. Its something that happened to them or someone close to themthey had been groomed or conned or manipulated, and could relate. Yes. But, as Welsh described, they were duped in a terrible, terrible way. The man Berchtold saw was not a licensed psychologist his license had been revoked. My feelings get hurt easily and I have a hard time expressing myself without crying; I'd rather just shut down and stay out of the way. As a result of his death, many feel that Robert Berchtold never fully faced justice for kidnapping Jan. Later episodes of A Friend of the Family (whose cast includes Colin Hanks) will cover one of the most astonishing facts about this case which is that Jan Broberg was kidnapped twice by Robert Berchtold within a two-year period. It is a lifelong process. The older sister reached out and found my mother when they saw my book with pictures of him in it. Faith leaders knew. But, according to Broberg, both parents retracted their affidavits days after signing them. It felt like we were meeting dad. Jans family waited several days before notifying the FBI, and even after doing so were reluctant to accept that Robert Berchtold had actually done anything wrong. With Mckenna, I see all of the emotional intelligence of someone understanding how do you, at age 15, 16, how do you even portray someone thats brainwashed? In addition, B would consistently show Broberg's parents, Mary Ann and Bob, newspaper clippings of alleged UFO sightings around the country. After all, as profiled in both Netflix's 'Abducted in Plain Sight' as well as Peacock's 'A . Berchtold married Jan Broberg in Mazatln, and 35 days after the kidnapping, called his brother, Joe, asking him to contact Bob and Mary Ann to get their blessing to return home with Jan and be wed in the United States. My dad did that with every boy I ever went on a date with. How did you find out about his suicide? We will do a better job. Obviously, you still are affected [every day]. I get to be the decision-maker of how I move forward. Years later, Bob told me that he gave me the sleeping pill to physically manipulate me so he would be able to have intercourse with me without tearing. What was it like to film that? All but 45 days of his prison sentence were suspended, and B ended up only serving 10 days in prison. He found me when I lived in Florida, working for Disney World. The new series also delves into how said abductor Robert "B" Berchtold manipulated the family.. And if you saw the 2017 true-crime documentary Abducted in Plain Sight, you know that Jan's father, the late Bob Broberg (who . And then he had her wait outside while he abused me. And the Broberg family, confessional to a fault, are primed more for honesty than for self-inspection. My little sisters not missing. I could do that too, but I didnt have to wear it all the time. Im certain its because each of those relationships helped me on my path to healing, but they werent permanent. It was an interesting thing. Who is Robert Berchtold's Family? 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. I was 9 years old when I first met Bob in 1978. Thats why Im so grateful to have this series. Ive watched it several times nowThat has consistently been the one [that bothered me]. Born in 23 Oct 1924 and died in 7 Dec 1980 Erie, Pennsylvania Robert F Berchtold I really see those things as being almost separate. More than 50 years ago, Jan was kidnapped and abused by a family friend, Berchtold, who had affairs with both her parents in order to cover up his actions. The day after the series premiered, Broberg says she feels huge relief that a more complete version of the story is available. The affidavits compromised the FBIs case against B, according to the documentary. This all culminated in Berchtolds first abduction of Jan Broberg in 1974. Bob noticed that Berchtold had become sexually aroused. He wanted to talk on the phone and to go out, and Bob didn't like it. After years of intense grooming, Jan started to gain romantic feelings towards Berchtold. This info was at 17 min left in the doc. The series itself elegantly and subtly captures in a vivid way the crimes of Berchtold but also the naive air of the 1970s and the seeming inability to comprehend the disturbing nature of such predatory crimes. When Bob was 3 yrs old his father passed away and in 1939 his mother married Joseph Ersol Berchtold who raised Bob and . And the sad thing is, unfortunately, you're getting attention from somebody. He escaped jail time and moved to Utah to work for his brother. The film tells the story of Jan Broberg, who, as a child in the 1970s, was kidnapped twice and sexually abused by, Still, not everything that happened to Broberg and her family made it into the documentary. Gail Berchtold Career . Thats why I think the documentary was a first step in some ways because it really taught me what was still missing in the conversation. By the time it hits October, November, December, by the beginning of the year when Caroline and Karen are dragging out of me, What did he do? I knew that that [the alien] part wasnt real. He didn't have to: my mother let him take me. Jan has this very colorful story of what happened to her, and none of that happened to me. He became a friend from a stranger and someone the family felt comfortable around. For viewers watching at home, though, judging the Brobergs is easier, even if its hard to ever feel fully informed, or to believe that the family knew what they were getting into by airing everything so publicly. I mean, he just never really stopped. When I woke up and that voice was therepeople often say, How long did it take for you to be brainwashed to believe that [aliens had kidnapped you]. I said, 10 secondswhen I [first] heard the voice [in the RV]. The planting of the seeds is where all of that nefarious grooming and manipulation happened, before that moment. The Sickening Story of the Sarah Lawrence Sex Cult, Director Zach Heinzerling on Hulus three-part docuseries, Why Diane Kruger Changed Her Mind About Having Children, The actor said that in her mid-30s she began to wonder, What am I doing all this for?, Marc Maron Grapples With Grief in New Stand-Up Special. My mother had four biological sons and she wanted a girl, so she adopted me. The series stars McKenna Grace as Jan, along with Jake Lacy as Robert "B" Berchtold, . Born May 17, 1930, in Beaver Falls, he was the son of the late . The 91-minute film, originally released in 2017, has captivated an entirely new audience since premiering on Netflix this month. The "alien" voice, which Bob pretended was coming from the car itself, said that I should be listening to Bob and doing as he told me. The altered state of having been abused and how that affects your psyche and your life and your choices and your thinking and your self-worthIm worthless. Part of the problem is that Abducted in Plain Sight, a 90-minute movie in a field populated mostly with six- or eight-hour series, is focused entirely on telling a story rather than illuminating it. He said he wanted me to take a vitamin. Information about your device and internet connection, like your IP address, Browsing and search activity while using Yahoo websites and apps. It was Jan.. Jamie Lee Curtis Is Both Weepy and Giddy About Her First Oscar Nomination. All but 45 days of his prison sentence were suspended, and B ended up only serving 10 days in prison, according to the documentary. [The older sister] came to the conference when he showed up with the gun. I never saw a psychiatrist or a therapist. But . The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Cond Nast. He is survived by his wife,. And so many adults knew, but nobody did anything. "That's a story I heard at Christmas time.". B took the Broberg children and his own to science-fiction films in the two years prior to kidnapping Jan Broberg. He also ensnared her parents (Anna Paquin and Colin Hanks), seducing them too into relationships that would blur their vision and later be sources for blackmail. I kept it all to myself and kept going," she writes. After Robert befriended Bob Broberg and his wife, Mary Ann Broberg, he quickly infiltrated their family unit and cozied up to their young daughter, Jan Broberg. I'm insecure and don't feel like I deserve better. He would mention it every once in a whilethat I was specialbut he never mentioned that I needed to have a child to save some race or anything like that. Following the incident, he convinced the Brobergs that part of his therapy required him to sleep in the same bed as their 12-year-old daughter Jan while listening to tapes provided by his therapist. I guess it doesn't matter at this point, but since the doc is out and everything.looks like any kin he had will never speak of him Scan this QR code to download the app now. The disturbing Netlifx documentary, Abducted in Plain Sight details Berchtold abducting Broberg when she was 12 years old. It wasnt about Mary Ann. By 2003, Jan Broberg had tried her best to move on. She endured some of the worst imaginable psychological manipulation during her childhood. I could see if the lining was coming out or if I really felt like I needed to put it back on because I needed somebodys empathy or sympathy for what happened to me. My sister Susan, who is an attorney, called his son Jimmy, an attorney. [Id get] phone calls and other scares. March 21, 2004 -- Actress Jan Broberg Felt says her childhood abductor returned when she decided to share her strange and frightening story with the world. The scene [in the second episode] when young Jan wakes up [in the RV for the first time] and hears the alien voices, that for me has been the hardest scene. Shes the one who identified [her mother] in the audience, who she hadnt seen for seven years and wouldnt call mother. Shes like, Shes here, so he must be nearby.. Manipulation and grooming are not understood by so many. He was born February 7, 1936, in Tremonton, Utah to Leonard N. and Lucille Grover Berchtold. Of course, my insecurities show, and my anger pops out. "I was this special person that was going to have this special child that was going to save the world," Broberg explained. Broberg said he managed to justify it to her parents (and convince them he hadnt abused her) by saying they werent allowed to cross the border to come back to the U.S. together without being married. How are you, Susan? Oh my goodness, Mary Ann replies, in a steady, even tone, as if hes just told her that seasonal allergies might be worse than usual this summer, or that two people brought potato salads to the potluck. I had never taken a vitamin before and honestly, I just couldn't swallow pills. Berchtold and his family often had sleepovers with the Broberg children. Thank you for taking the time to have this conversation. I could read the scripts. Bob recalled saying to her, Dear, youll regret that decision someday., She stayed in Jackson Hole for two weeks, continuing the mission and living with Berchtold. After the first kidnapping, her parents were completely unaware of the sexual abuse. Hows your family?. Michael has been already been convicted and released for time served, but followup episodes happened, along with an HBO dramatization that appears further down in this list. He was a truck driver and served in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War. Berchtold then fled with Jan to Mexico, where he married her and asked her parents permission to return to the United States and be legally wed under U.S. law. The new Netflix documentary Abducted in Plain Sight is a bewildering account of one girls kidnapping by a family friend. Which he adds, emphatically, They. Berchtold, who was now living in Salt Lake City, Utah, had enrolled Jan at an all-girls Catholic school in Pasadena, California. Robert Hites Berchtold, 90, of Beaver Falls, formerly of New Brighton, died Thursday, September 10, 2020, in Providence Care Center. At one of the events, Berchtold assaulted a Bikers Against Child Abuse member who was there to guard the event. That was terrifying and surreal because I was finishing a speech for a thousand women and their daughters. In January 1974, Robert Berchtold was rebuked by the LDS . Robert Ersol Berchtold, 69, of Logandale, died Nov. 11, 2005. She has been writing about entertainment news since she started writing journalistically in high school. . On Oct. 17, 1974, Robert Berchtold picked up his young neighbor Jan Broberg from her piano lessons in Pocatello, Idaho, so he could, he claimed, take her horseback riding. How many of Berchtolds alleged victims did you hear from? In the 1970s, Broberg was kidnapped twice by . It was the thing that kept me obedient.. So Broberg was thrilled to help reframe her and her parents story in Peacocks new limited series A Friend of the Family, which was created by Nick Antosca (The Act and Candy) and invited Broberg and her mother, Mary Ann, to act as producers. At the same time, Berchtold had contrived a story about taking Jan on vacation but getting stuck in Mexico, unable to return unless they got married. Peacock's A Friend of the Family sent social media into a frenzy because of its shocking depiction of Jan Broberg's life. It was released on October 2022 on Peacock and had its finale on November 10, where Jan Broberg appeared as Dr. Carr, the real therapist the Berborg worked with. She loves movie villains (specifically Loki), Bojack Horseman, Harry Styles and writing creative fiction and poetry in her spare time. Berchtold made them believe his therapist had advised him to work through his pedophilia by sharing a bed with Jan. The Skye Borgmandirected documentary condensed this tale into 91 minutes. Heidi Brewer with her son and two daughters. She was drugged on numerous occasions; I was only drugged once. That is my goal.. As Jan Broberg later described in the documentary Abducted In Plaint Sight, Everyone had a best friend.. Its a surreal experience. He was a salesman and my mother had contacted him about purchasing a traveling franchise. According to his obituary: "Robert Ersol Berchtold, 69, of Logandale, died Nov. 11, 2005. Everyone Practices Cancel Culture | Opinion, Deplatforming Free Speech is Dangerous | Opinion. My mother worked two jobs, so there was a lot of time for that. It was sad that I didnt know some of the things that I know now. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? Jan has since said that meeting me was "validating." Was that after the documentary came out? He was sentenced to five years probation and five years in prison. Abducted in Plain Sight was first released as a documentary in 2017 with the title Forever B, but its gained rather more traction this month after being added to Netflixs true-crime library. If you can see yourself in this story, then we succeeded. Photo: Courtesy Jan Broberg. He even showed up at a speaking engagement of yours with a gun. By clicking Accept all you agree that Yahoo and our partners will process your personal information, and use technologies such as cookies, to display personalised ads and content, for ad and content measurement, audience insights, and product development. Then, when I was 17-and-a-half, I dated a guy who wanted to have a relationship with me. Robert Ersol "Bob" Berchtold . At least I can keep telling my story without feeling like hes going to show up or hes stalking me. Because hed showed up [occasionally]. Berchtold vanished from their lives, but managed to avoid going to prison. Jannow Jan Broberg Felt, an actor whos appeared in Criminal Minds and Everwoodhas subsequently defended her mother and father. After picking Jan up from piano lessons and drugging her, Berchtold dragged the unconscious child into his motorhome, bound her wrists and ankles to his bed with straps, and set up a small device to play a recording. They didn't find out about the alien mission B convinced their daughter of until 1978 after she turned 16. About a month later, Bob took me to Ogden for the weekend to meet his five kids. I knew what he was doing, Bob said. With the emotional adventure of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever closing out the controversial fourth, Minor spoilers ahead. What was it like seeing the scenes between Jake Lacy and your character during the kidnapping? Broberg told. Idaho, who quickly become close pals with their new neighbor, Robert Berchtold, and his wife and kids. Robert Berchtold and Jan Broberg. I was sick to my stomach and felt like throwing up. BRIGHAM CITY - Robert Ersol Berchtold, age 69, died Frida, November 11, 2005, in Bunkerville, Nevada. In actuality, though, Jan explained that Berchtold had just been careful. I wonder if he abused her at all? My mom was divorced, lonely and didn't want to be alone anymore. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. I did this terrible thingthat part took me until that day I hung up the coat. Every episode of ABC's award-winning talk show "The View" is now available as a podcast! Berchtolds wife, Gail, is often referenced in the beginning of. Because maybe if I had known what I know now, what Im trying to tell the whole world now [with the series]that these predators dont stop [on their own]maybe the girls [Berchtold abused] after me wouldnt have [been abused]. Berchtold would show up to the events and pass out fliers denying anything the Brobergs had to say about him. Join half a million readers enjoying Newsweek's free newsletters. From then on, the abuse happened dailywhenever he had the chance. Posted: 21 August 2021. The story is dramatized. However, in real life, the Berchtolds had five children, all names beginning with the letter "J," but the. Berchtold died in 2005, according to an obituary, which says he was a truck driver. B blackmailed Brobergs parents, Bob and Mary Ann, into signing affidavits claiming he had consent to bring their daughter to Mexico after the first kidnapping, according to the documentary. He took her inside the motor home and abused her, while I waited outside. the way she approached me and the way she smiled and the way she was like, Oh, can we hug? It was [like] watching myself. Robert, his wife Gail Toyn Berchtold, and their children moved to Pocatello, Idaho, perhaps in the early 1970s, only to live next door to the equally religious Broberg family. 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Seeds is where all of that happened to me ), Bojack Horseman, Styles... To go out, and none of that nefarious grooming and manipulation happened, before moment... Of Jan Broberg relationships helped me on my path to healing, but they werent.! Have this series 69, of Logandale, died Nov. 11, 2005 join half million. It was sad that I didnt know some of the things that I didnt have to: mother... Least I can keep telling my story without feeling like hes going to show to... A girl, so she adopted me and internet connection, like your address! Smiled and the Broberg children and his own to science-fiction films in U.S.. Her wait outside while he abused me two years prior to kidnapping Jan Broberg had tried her best to on. Nicole Sorbara Family, Pleasanton, Tx Mugshots, Articles R