The Jan Broberg Story

The True Crime Story of a Young Girl Abducted and Brainwashed by a Friend of the Family

By: Jan Broberg, MaryAnn Broberg

Narrated by: MaryAnn Broberg, Jan Broberg

The Jan Broberg Story tells the winding tale of the Brobergs, a church-going, Idaho family that falls prey to a sociopathic neighbor who will stop at nothing to be with their young daughter.

Robert Berchtold, furniture store owner and family man, coaxes his way into the Broberg’s life, meticulously building their trust and bonding with their young girls. One day, Robert offers to take their 12-year-old daughter, Jan, horseback riding, only he doesn’t return her home. When Jan awakes, kidnapped and strapped to a bed in the back of a motor home bound for Mexico, she hears strange high-pitched “alien” voices telling her that she has been chosen for a special mission. What follows is the real-life trail of deception that plagued Jan Broberg from the age of 12, when she became the victim of Robert Berchtold’s bizarre four-year brainwashing scheme.

Written from the perspective of Jan Broberg’s mother, this gripping cautionary tale not only details the frightening acts and manipulation of a pedophile, but also highlights the Broberg family’s courage and resilience in the aftermath of harrowing events.

©2022 Jan Broberg and MaryAnn Broberg (P)2022 Jan Broberg and MaryAnn Broberg

Unbelievable Story

It kept me scratching my head, and wondering how this strong brainwashing could really happen.

Great story

This was very informative along with a story that had to be very hard to tell. A couple things were left out that they had in the documentary. The the only reason the story part got 4 stars

Wow!!

This story!! I cannot believe how much Jan, and entire family went threw. Quite baffling!

Surreal! And eye opening!

I spent my time listening to this going through every emotion! One doesn’t know how one will react until in a situation. Very enlightening.

A lot from the mother—better explanation than tv

Great insight from parents who experienced their daughter’s abuse. While might be easy to judge, it is so insightful on choices made