5 Unbelievable Facts About Jan Broberg’s Survival Story And Where She Is Today (2025 Update)

Jan Broberg’s story is a harrowing and complex true-crime account that continues to shock and baffle audiences worldwide, most recently through the 2017 Netflix documentary Abducted in Plain Sight and the 2022 Peacock limited series A Friend of the Family. As of late 2024 and heading into 2025, Jan Broberg Felt remains a powerful voice for child protection and a dedicated advocate, using her traumatic past to fuel a mission of change.

Her experience—being kidnapped not once, but twice, by the same trusted family friend, Robert Berchtold—is a cautionary tale of masterful grooming and psychological manipulation. This article provides a deep dive into the unbelievable facts of her survival and offers an update on her life and advocacy work today.

Jan Broberg Felt: Biography and Profile

Jan Broberg Felt is an American actress, singer, dancer, author, and executive director, best known for her courageous survival story.

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• Full Name: Jan Broberg Felt
• Date of Birth: July 31, 1962
• Age (2025): 63 years old
• Birthplace: Pocatello, Idaho, United States
• Parents: Mary Ann Broberg and Bob Broberg
• Siblings: Sisters Karen and Suzan Broberg
• Notable Roles: Actress in films like Man's Best Friend and various stage productions.
• Author: Co-wrote the memoir Stolen Innocence: The Jan Broberg Story.
• Current Role: Executive Director of the Center for the Arts at Kayenta in Ivins, Utah, and founder of the Jan Broberg Foundation.

The Masterful Grooming: How Robert Berchtold Manipulated an Entire Family

The most unbelievable aspect of Jan Broberg's ordeal is not just the abductions themselves, but the extraordinary level of psychological manipulation Robert Berchtold, known to the family as "B," used to isolate and control the entire Broberg family. Berchtold was a close, trusted neighbor and family friend in their Pocatello, Idaho, community.

1. The Deception of the "Alien Mission"

During the first abduction in 1974, Berchtold, at the age of 43, convinced 12-year-old Jan that she was part of a secret, intergalactic mission. He drugged her and took her to Mexico. He told her that she was chosen by aliens to reproduce with him to save her race, and that if she failed, her parents would be killed. This elaborate, terrifying fantasy was a core tactic of his psychological abuse, creating an impossible moral dilemma for a young girl.

2. Abducting Her Twice in 15 Months

Jan was first kidnapped on October 17, 1974. After being returned, the family's nightmare was not over. Berchtold's influence was so pervasive that he managed to abduct Jan a second time in 1976. This second kidnapping further illustrates the profound psychological hold he had over Jan and her parents, Bob and Mary Ann Broberg. The fact that the same perpetrator could successfully take the child twice is a chilling testament to his manipulative genius.

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3. Sexual Affairs with Both Parents

To ensure the parents would not report his abuse or interfere with his access to Jan, Robert Berchtold strategically groomed Mary Ann and Bob Broberg as well. He had sexual relationships with both parents. This tactic of sexual compromise and emotional manipulation created a web of guilt, shame, and confusion that effectively neutralized the parents' ability to protect their daughter or report his crimes to law enforcement. This unprecedented betrayal is what makes the case so notorious.

Jan Broberg Today: Advocacy and Life After Trauma (2025 Update)

Despite the immense trauma she endured, Jan Broberg has dedicated her life to turning her survival into a powerful tool for education and prevention. Her current activities are focused on advocacy, the arts, and sharing her story to help others.

4. The Jan Broberg Foundation and Advocacy Work

Jan is an active advocate for child protection and against child sexual abuse and grooming. She founded the Jan Broberg Foundation, which focuses on education, awareness, and supporting survivors. Her work involves speaking engagements across the country, sharing her story to help parents and children recognize the signs of grooming, a tactic she experienced firsthand.

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In 2025, Jan's story continues to be relevant, with recent media coverage, including a Fox True Crime Podcast episode, keeping the conversation about child abduction cases and survivor stories in the public eye. This ongoing media presence ensures her message of vigilance and awareness reaches new audiences.

5. Consulting on the Limited Series Adaptation

Jan Broberg and her mother, Mary Ann Broberg, served as co-producers on the Peacock limited series A Friend of the Family. This adaptation, starring Jake Lacy as Robert Berchtold, Anna Paquin as Mary Ann Broberg, and Colin Hanks as Bob Broberg, allowed Jan to reclaim her narrative and ensure its accuracy. Her involvement was crucial to portraying the nuances of the grooming process and the family's complex dynamic.

Jan sees her role in the series not just as a survivor, but as a teacher, providing viewers with an unvarnished look at how a master manipulator can infiltrate and destroy a family unit. This level of control over the narrative is a significant part of her healing and advocacy.

The Legacy of Survival and Hope

Jan Broberg's journey from victim to powerful advocate is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit. Her memoir, Stolen Innocence, and her work with the Center for the Arts at Kayenta, where she serves as Executive Director, demonstrate a life committed to creation and healing.

As of this current date, December 18, 2025, Jan Broberg continues to inspire countless individuals. Her willingness to share the darkest parts of her life ensures that the shocking lessons learned from the Robert Berchtold case are never forgotten. Her focus remains on prevention, helping families understand that grooming is a slow, insidious process that often involves manipulating the entire family, not just the child. Her ongoing commitment to the Jan Broberg Foundation solidifies her legacy as a true survivor and tireless champion for child safety.