"They were manipulated": Abducted In Plain Sight's Jan Broberg has defended her parents.

In the early 1970s, Jan Broberg was kidnapped by her own next door neighbour. Twice.

The man who took 12-year-old Jan was no stranger, however. In fact, it was Robert Berchtold’s incredibly close relationship with Jan’s parents that led her to be kidnapped right under their noses.

To Jan’s parents Bob and Mary Ann Broberg, Robert was a loving husband, a caring father-of-five and a loyal friend.

Watch the full trailer for Netflix’s Abducted In Plain Sight here. Post continues below…

Their trust in Robert was incredibly strong. For days after Robert took off to Mexico with Jan in tow, Bob and Mary Ann did not report their daughter missing.

Five weeks later, Jan was returned to her parents. While she was gone, she was drugged, sexually assaulted and brainwashed by Robert Berchtold.

Just years later, Robert kidnapped Jan once again.

It’s believed Jan was away from her parents for at least three months before her abductor was arrested.

Earlier this year, Netflix documentary Abducted In Plain Sight brought the chilling true crime story back into the spotlight.

Since the documentary was released in January, the feeling among viewers has been clear – how could Jan’s parents possibly miss all the warning signs?

Now, Jan Broberg herself has responded to the widespread criticism of her parents.

Speaking to Entertainment Tonight, the now-56-year-old explained how her parents were victims of Robert as well.

"My parents were groomed and manipulated for two and a half years. He was our best friend," she explained.

"So, the first thing I want to say is when you put it in context, two and a half years to build ultimate trust with individual members of a family is something that happens slowly, but it happens because you're frequently with those people."

Jan also claimed that some aspects of the documentary weren't accurate.

"There is one part of the documentary that I want to be changed because he did not sleep inside of my bed," she said.

"He laid on the top of my bed just like Mum, Dad, or anybody else would," she explained.

"The door is open, my mum is doing laundry and she walks in the room and puts the clothes away in the drawers and out she goes and he's laying there listening to these tapes while I'm asleep."

Read more on this topic:

• The chilling new Netflix true crime documentary every parent needs to watch.
• Jan Broberg escaped her paedophile abductor age 12. Two years later, he kidnapped her again.

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