It was a documentary that brought Jan Broberg‘s shocking true story of her two-time childhood kidnapping to the world. The events of Netflix‘s Abducted in Plain Sight were dramatized in Peacock‘s A Friend of the Family, currently in-season. And now, Broberg is returning to this harrowing time of her life in the new documentary A Friend of the Family: True Evil coming to Peacock.
The streamer has also revealed the official trailer and images from the upcoming series, set to premiere Tuesday, November 15. (The finale of A Friend of the Family drops November 10.) In it, Broberg will continue her lifelong journey of healing from the abuse she and her family endured at the hands of Robert “B” Berchtold, who died by suicide in 2005. As shown in A Friend of the Family, B (played by Jake Lacy) groomed the young Jan (Hendrix Yancey and Mckenna Grace) for years, kidnapped her twice, and married her in Mexico the second time. Broberg and her parents, Mary Ann and Bob Broberg (Anna Paquin and Colin Hanks in the series), appeared in Abducted in Plain Sight, and Broberg and her mother serve as producers on the Peacock drama.
A companion to the limited drama series, A Friend of the Family: True Evil follows Broberg on her present-day road to healing as she revisits the scenes of the crimes (including the bedroom where her abuse began and where police finally rescued her in Mexico). It also features never-before-revealed information from another Berchtold victim who Broberg meets on her journey, as well as an emotional and honest conversation with Mary Ann about the events that took place years ago. Watch the emotional A Friend of the Family: True Evil trailer, above.
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The doc will also include interviews with Broberg’s son. Together, the Brobergs will dive into how a family comes to terms with the generational trauma that can affect survivors and their loved ones years after the abuse took place.
“Many harmed by child sexual assault and long-term abuse are still striving to heal and thrive years later,” Broberg said in a statement. “Through support and community, the healing journey of ‘Thrivivors’ can create a ripple effect towards change for children, and I am grateful to Peacock for the opportunity to continue telling my story. It is my hope that with greater awareness and understanding of childhood sexual abuse and grooming, total prevention can truly become a reality.”
“With A Friend of the Family: True Evil, we’re able to share a closer look at Jan Broberg’s harrowing true story of perseverance and grace through unimaginable circumstances,” said Susan Rovner, Chairman, Entertainment Content, NBCUniversal Television and Streaming. “This companion piece to our critically-acclaimed new limited series A Friend of the Family will give audiences a chance to engage with the series on a deeper level while also illuminating never-before-seen elements of the story.”
A Friend of the Family: True Evil is produced by Dateline Productions. Andrea Canning serves as correspondent, Paul F. Ryan serves as executive producer, and Izhar Harpaz serves as supervising producer.
A Friend of the Family: True Evil, Original Documentary Premiere, Tuesday, November 15, Peacock