In 1976, he spent 10 days in jail after accepting a plea deal based on the first kidnapping, then was sentenced to a mental facility for 6 months. Who is Robert Berchtold's Family? After all, as profiled in both Netflix's 'Abducted in Plain Sight' as well as Peacock's 'A . The master manipulator from Utha has a lengthy history of having a particular lust for young females. Almost a decade ago, the world was gripped with anxiety as it watched the legal proceedings against a young Se. I told my husband about what happened but he doesn't want to know the details. Heidi Brewer met Broberg while filming this documentary. 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 . Not trying to sympathize with him, but just curious about his childhood. It wasnt about Mary Ann. 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. By the time I was 14 or 15, it got to the point where Bob would just take what he wantedit didn't matter whether you were willing or not. October 5, 2022. He told the Brobergs he needed to sleep in Jans bed. 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. The district attorneywho had basically prosecuted his showing up at that conference with a gun as a registered sex offendercalled me. It was through a course that I did that helped me see that you have the rest of your life. Jan Broberg whose story about being kidnapped by her neighbor Bob Berchtold inspired Peacock's "A Friend of the Family" has written a new book about the experience, with her mother MaryAnn. Afterward, Berchtold maintained his grasp on their lives by ensnaring both of the Brobergs in a sexual relationship before kidnapping their daughter for a second time two years later. Broberg told. But this time you were seeing an actor bring your abuser to life, witnessing two actors portray you during this traumatic period, and seeing actors portray your family. Bagby's childhood friend, director Kurt Kunnee began shooting Dear Zachary after Bagby's murder. Without the Brobergs as witnesses, the court had no way of proving Berchtold was guilty of anything. 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. When I went to the premiere with my sisters and mother, they all got to meet Colin Hanks and spent some time with him, a little more than just a hello. The documentary only slightly went into "B's" past. Vanity Fair may earn a portion of sales from products that are purchased through our site as part of our Affiliate Partnerships with retailers. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement and Your California Privacy Rights. NetflixMary Ann Broberg described Berchtold as having a charisma that Bob didnt possess.. Related: Dahmer Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story Sparked An Important True Crime Debate. My little sisters not missing. This info was at 17 min left in the doc. The following two years, B kept in contact with Broberg, who said she felt she loved him. "Berchtold took her away in a motor home on the afternoon of Oct. 17, 1974," ABC News reported . Robert Ersol Berchtold, 69, of Logandale, died Nov. 11, 2005. That event would set off a series of events for a series of tragic events in the life of Jan Broberg, which she discussed in the documentary Abducted in Plain Sight as well as . They were just extraordinary. Berchtold made it clear to Jan that she couldnt talk about any of their sexual encounters to anyone, and she complied since she trusted him. You mentioned hearing from another woman who had been abused by Berchtold. Jan returned home, but only briefly. Jan Broberg's abuser convinced her she was the last chance for an alien species. . It unpacks too many bizarre events in a short time frame to allow for much additional analysis. He turned sideways and you could almost see him reaching back to start a tape recorder. After Brobergs first kidnapping, B blackmailed her parents, Bob and Mary Ann, into signing affidavits claiming he had consent to bring their daughter to Mexico. Although Bob and Mary Ann Broberg refused, Berchtold returned home with Jan and things somehow went back to normal without any charges pressed. Kerry Washington Goes for LaughsAnd TruthIn Hulu Comedy. 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. Robert E Berchtold of Logandale, Clark County, Nevada was born on February 7, 1936. When Berchtold asked if he could share a bed with 12-year-old Jan as 'therapy' for overcoming his own childhood abuse, her parents were so brainwashed that they bizarrely let him. It tells the story of how the Brobergs' close family friend and neighbor, Robert Berchtold, developed a fascination with then 12-year-old Jan Broberg. It all started in 1972 when Berchtold met the Broberg family at a church service in Pocatello, Idaho, and quickly became an esteemed family friend. I didnt want to marry her, Broberg said. After being rebuked, he met with a counselor and a clinical psychologist to, he said, help overcome his obsession with Jan. The details that follow spiral quickly from strange to appalling. But now this man she didn't really know could let himself in at any time. And did that give you some sort of relief or closure? Between 1972 and 1976 he groomed Broberg and abducted her twice: once at the age of 12 and the second time when she was 14. S, Welcome to Love Like This?, a romance column where we, Kathleen Newman-Bremang and Ineye Komonibo, revisit some of the most romantic or not, in hindsig, Whether its the iconic early-aughts film Love Dont Cost a Thing or her 2021 Netflix hit Resort to Love, Christina Milian has solidified herself in th, This story contains spoilers for Netflixs You People. How many of Berchtolds alleged victims did you hear from? She recently graduated from Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles with a BA in journalism and a minor in film studies. She had slowly begun to question whether the aliens were real, but a small part of her still believed in them. About a month later, Bob took me to Ogden for the weekend to meet his five kids. 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. These guys were crazy and those stupid people, then we failed. The cautionary tale Broberg tells about kidnapping today, is that "it's somebody you know, love, and trust, and probably somebody your child knows, loves, and trusts.". Or at least remove them from having access to children and young people. Robert Berchtold, a close friend of the Broberg family who has turned serial child abductor, kidnaps Jan Broberg, age twelve, in 1974. I was sitting on the couch, in my pajamas, flicking through Netflix and trying to find something to watch, when I came across the documentary Abducted in Plain Sight and the face of Robert Berchtold: the man who destroyed my childhood. Broberg was missing for roughly a month during the first kidnapping, during which she was sexually assaulted by B. Despite the outcome of her marriage to Robert, Gail found love again. They are curious about where the real Robert Berchtold is now. And this 10% experience, you cant let it ruin the rest of your life. I remember the first time I really understood what love was or at least what a nine-year-old could understand as romantic love. But six other women came forward with their own stories about Berchtold, and Jan Broberg filed a stalking injunction against him after he was arrested at one of her speaking engagements. I know that theyve been invited to share their side [of the story], including his ex-wife, but theyve never wanted to talk to anybody. Idaho, who quickly become close pals with their new neighbor, Robert Berchtold, and his wife and kids. We were in a car, and Bob pulled into a random neighborhood. I was such a happy girl. I think that's the sick thing, when you come from a family that walks past and ignores you; it's attention, good or bad. He was a truck driver and served in the U.S. Army . After the war, he returned to Utah, got married, had children, and settled in the small town of Pocatello, Idaho, where he ran a furniture store. I hope theyre doing okay, especially his kids. Where are you in the healing process now? He holds a bachelor's degree in screenwriting (widely considered to be a bad move) from Point Park University. Robert 'B' Berchtold kidnapped 12-year-old Jan and took her in a camper to Mexico in 1974. And then he had her wait outside while he abused me. We never called em pedophiles; Im sure it was in the dictionary someplace, Agent Welsh says. If you can [watch] and go, That would never happen to me. They consulted with me constantly. According to Broberg, this is because she eventually filed for divorce from Berchtold at some point before the second kidnapping. 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 film tells the story of Jan Broberg, who, as a child in the 1970s, was kidnapped twice and sexually abused by Robert "B." Berchtold, a family friend who grew close with her parents. That companion was B, and the mission was to have a child with him before Broberg turned 16 years old. The fascination with potential alien life intersecting with life on Earth was popular in the early 1970s. Warning: Contains SPOILERS for A Friend of the Family. Every hand goes up. Robert Berchtold and Jan Broberg. She worked as an actress and went on to star in several television shows and movies, such as the canceled show Everwood. 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. 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? Here is where Borgmans unwillingness or lack of space to parse exactly whats going on feels most acute. Some viewers hit the roof, wondering how any parent could let their kid be taken by the same person twice. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. She endured some of the worst imaginable psychological manipulation during her childhood. Over the past week, viral tweets and Reddit threads and various expressions of incomprehension have batted around the internet, as viewers try to make sense of what exactly theyve just watched. I felt she was unaffectionate as a parent: there were no hugs or "I love you"s when I was growing up. The older sister reached out and found my mother when they saw my book with pictures of him in it. At one point, she planned on buying a gun and explaining to her sister Susan what was going to happen. I get to be the examiner. 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. Jan Broberg's parents and siblings, as well as the law enforcement professionals who worked on the case, recount the unbelievable sequence of events at the heart of this . 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 took her inside the motor home and abused her, while I waited outside. They didnt forgive him. That womans two daughters had been raped and molested [by him], and they ran away from home. In a candid conversation, Broberg tells VF about the surreal experience of seeing her abuser brought to life again. Berchtold said he was listening to a series of tapes meant to help curb his desire, but also claimed that he would need to spend more time with Jan to help him get over his obsession. When I first met [Hendrix]. Now I do. He hoped to give Zachary a glimpse of his father. I wanted to crawl into the backseat and find the tape recorder and Bob got upset with me. 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]. Jan has since said that meeting me was "validating." Oh. He said he wanted me to take a vitamin. After returning to her family, Berchtold kidnapped . 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. Now, Jan said, she sees that it was likely because she wasnt a little kid anymore. In the doc, he said he was sexually abused by the "help", didn't feel part of the new family (mother had other children to new husband) and slept in a separate bunkhouse. The movie includes pictures Berchtold took of Jan as a 12-year-old girl, all straw-colored hair, wide eyes, and freckles. The children in the clan considered Berchtold a second father, so much so that when he fled to Mexico with a 12-year-old Jan by his side in August 1974, the family was initially unwilling to. Monday on "The View," Broberg discussed her childhood and the steps taken by family friend Robert Berchtold, who went by the nickname "B," to manipulate the family and kidnap Broberg twice. I mean, Ive been married and divorced a number of times. It was an interesting thing. Robert Berchtold is an abuser who groomed the Broberg family in order to become close to their 12-year-old daughter Jan. Its too painful for them to realize that they allowed that to happen to her.. The first time Berchtold kidnapped Broberg, he took her to Mexico and married her. He drugged her and transported her to Mexico in his RV. The film implies that the Broberg parents were both brainwashed and manipulated by Berchtold, which accounts for some of their actions, but not nearly all. Before we moved to Salt Lake City, my mother had been so overprotective of me that I wasn't allowed to play in the front yard by myself. In hindsight, I don't think Bob would ever have done anything to Jill. That brainwashing, for me, was something that [lasted] a short period of time. He took us to science-fiction movies. He got very angry. 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. He called me before it came on the news. Vanity Fair: Your story is so complicated, but the show does a great job at laying out this elaborate abduction plan beat by beat to show how Berchtold targeted your whole family. Congratulations on the seriesI definitely understand so much more about your experience. All but 45 days of his prison sentence were suspended, and B ended up only serving 10 days in prison. I finally told my mother about the abuse. We will find the advocacy and the legal ways to put serial predators behind bars. Either it happened to you, Julie, or it happened to somebody close to you. Our two families, with the popcorn, watched Star Trek and Lost in Space. On Aug. 10, 1976, she disappeared again. The encounter quickly became sexual. Born May 17, 1930, in Beaver Falls, he was the son of the late . To revist this article, visit My Profile, then View saved stories. How was that? After Broberg took what she thought were allergy pills before heading to the stables, she passed out in the car, and remembers nothing of the car ride. Her dad owned Atkin Florist, while her mother was a homemaker. And I could hang it up. Robert Berchtold took Jan Broberg horseback riding one afternoon when she was 12 and disappeared with her. We, Yahoo, are part of the Yahoo family of brands. Robert Berchtold and Jan Broberg. As Jan Broberg later described in the documentary Abducted In Plaint Sight, Everyone had a best friend.. Yet, despite the wealth of content, many viewers continue to have questions over exactly what happened to Robert Berchtold after the traumatic events. I'm insecure and don't feel like I deserve better. 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]. That is the only reason we told our story. I sat down. "But I knew they had been groomed and manipulated too.". She was rescued by the FBI, who found Broberg and B in his mobile home in Mexico, according to the documentary. Their home energy was quite ordinary for a few years, as per reports, yet everything changed shortly . The story is dramatized. Of course, my insecurities show, and my anger pops out. Ive been doing, Hello, doctor with a couple of my friends for about 20 years. I about passed out. The tapes played odd, sexual messages, urging him to imagine being touched and caressed. When Robert Berchtold first moved to town he became extremely close with the Broberg family, but as time went on it became clear that Berchtolds end goal was to get to Jan Broberg. Not as much as I have been in past years. That was terrifying and surreal because I was finishing a speech for a thousand women and their daughters. Brewer feels she did not get a chance to properly tell her story. She doesnt recall violent rape but said, I would just look at the leaves If you just look at the leaves, itll be okay.. [They made it] look like my childhood home. Berchtold had a family of his own, and his children would often play with the Broberg kids, including Jan, according to ATI. Peacocks new drama miniseries, A Friend of the Family, is based on the real events of what happened to Robert Berchtold and the Broberg family in the 1970s. I never saw a psychiatrist or a therapist. He talked incessantly about UFO sightings. He brainwashed her with false narratives in order to sexually abuse her. His brother Joe had even visited while Jan was there, and he noted that Robert, looked happier than hed ever been.. The affidavits compromised the FBIs case against B, according to the documentary. Robert Berchtold. So does a legal system that allowed Berchtold to kidnap, drug, and rape a child and receive a virtual slap on the wrist. Robert Berchtold Wikipedia Bio. You can live in the 90%, which is the rest of your life, and be in charge. When the BerchtoldsGail, Robert and their five childrenmoved next door, the husbands bonded over being business and family men (so Bob Broberg said), the wives naturally gravitated to each. Once that moment happened, I believed it entirely, completely, and I knew [aliens] were watching me. She also reveals how she managed to shake Bs grooming, what happened to B in later years, and whether her family has heard from any of the other Berchtolds since. He found me at college. Listen and subscribe for free on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, TuneIn, Spotify, Stitcher or the ABC News app. Jamie Lee Curtis Is Both Weepy and Giddy About Her First Oscar Nomination. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? Thats why, she says, they didnt probe more when they knew something had happened. Robert Berchtold began taking the Broberg kids to school every day and took Jan on activities including horseriding and family vacations. How did you find out about his suicide? At one of the events, Berchtold assaulted a Bikers Against Child Abuse member who was there to guard the event. I don't remember much of that evening. So if we can find that community of support and do that, then that will not only raise awareness, it will prevent future abuse. Berchtold, it transpires, had repeatedly tried to infiltrate other families with young girls, and had been reprimanded by the high council in his church, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, for doing so. He is survived by his wife, Deanna; sons, Jerry, James, Joseph, People knew, or certainly had surmised, that he was a threat. Filmmaker Skye Borgman left out a scene which featured a meet-up that Mary Ann had with Robert Berchtold in a car park, allegedly involving a firearm and her brother (via Vanity Fair). Broberg, now. We think hes in the parking lot. Im like, What? Thats not in the documentary, Broberg said. While on the road to Mexico he . Netflix first recounted the harrowing story in the 2019 documentary Abducted in . Her sons were quite a bit older than methe youngest was seven or eight years older than meand I don't remember them being in the house much. It is made up of one wild story after another about 12-year-old Jan Broberg who went missing when a family friend, Robert "B" Berchtold, abducted her one sunny afternoon in 1974. Slowly begun to question whether the aliens were real, but just curious his. Was at 17 min left in the dictionary someplace, Agent Welsh says man Berchtold saw was not licensed! 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