The Broderick Children Today: 5 Shocking Facts About Kim, Lee, Daniel Jr., And Rhett’s Lives After The Betty Broderick Tragedy

The Broderick children have lived a life defined by tragedy and public scrutiny, but today, in late 2025, they have forged successful, yet intensely private, lives across the United States. Over 35 years after their mother, Betty Broderick, murdered their father, Dan Broderick, and his new wife, Linda Kolkena, the four siblings—Kim, Lee, Daniel Jr., and Rhett—have grown up and built their own families, careers, and perspectives on the infamous crime. Their story remains a compelling case study in the devastating, long-term impact of a high-profile domestic murder on a family. Their lives are an ongoing saga of recovery, with the looming 2032 parole hearing for their mother, who will be 84 years old, casting a long shadow. While the siblings remain close, their views on Betty Broderick's release are reportedly still divided, a complex and painful inheritance from the shocking events of November 1989. This look into their current lives reveals the quiet resilience of the family behind the sensational headlines and the popular "Dirty John" series.

The Four Broderick Children: A Complete Biography and Profile

The four children of Elisabeth "Betty" Broderick and Daniel T. Broderick III were the silent victims of one of the most sensational divorce and murder cases in American history. They were forced to navigate a world without both parents—one dead, the other imprisoned—while still in their formative years.

• Name: Kimberly "Kim" Broderick
• Born: 1970
• Current Age (as of 2025): 54-55
• Key Role: Oldest child; testified at her mother's trial; author of the 2014 book, Betty Broderick, My Mom: The Kim Broderick Story.

• Name: Kathy Lee "Lee" Broderick
• Born: 1971 (or 1972)
• Current Age (as of 2025): 53-54
• Key Role: Second child; has maintained the most intensely private life of the four siblings.

• Name: Daniel "Danny" Broderick Jr.
• Born: 1976
• Current Age (as of 2025): 48-49
• Key Role: Third child; a successful corporate executive who is married with three daughters.

• Name: Richard "Rhett" Broderick
• Born: 1979
• Current Age (as of 2025): 45-46
• Key Role: Youngest child; was 10 years old at the time of the murders; now a high school teacher in Idaho.

Where Are Betty Broderick’s Children Now? Careers and Current Lives

The Broderick children have actively sought to escape the shadow of the San Diego tragedy, with three of the four siblings settling in the quiet, scenic state of Idaho. Their careers reflect a commitment to building stable, professional lives away from the California spotlight that consumed their parents.

Daniel Broderick Jr.: The Corporate Executive

Daniel Broderick Jr. has established the most high-profile professional career of the four siblings. He is a married father of three daughters, who are Betty Broderick's grandchildren. * High-Level Career: Dan Jr. currently holds a significant executive position as the President, Americas, Advisory at Cushman & Wakefield. Cushman & Wakefield is a global commercial real estate (CRE) company, indicating a highly successful and demanding professional life in the corporate world. * Family Life: He is known to be married with children, and the painful reality is that his mother, Betty, has never been able to see his three daughters outside of the prison environment.

Rhett Broderick: The Idaho Teacher

The youngest child, Rhett Broderick, has chosen a career in education and a life in the American West. * Career in Education: Rhett works as a history and geography teacher at Wood River High School in Hailey, Idaho. His professional website, part of the Blaine County School District, confirms his long journey through various states—including California, Colorado, Missouri, Arizona, and Massachusetts—before settling in Idaho. * Family and Privacy: Rhett is married with children and is reported to be enjoying a peaceful life, a stark contrast to his tumultuous childhood. His choice of a quiet, family-centered life in the mountains reflects a clear desire for normalcy and stability.

Kim and Lee Broderick: Author and Private Citizens

Kim and Lee have maintained a lower public profile, though Kim's decision to write a book provided an unprecedented look into the family’s private agony. * Kim Broderick's Memoir: In 2014, Kim published Betty Broderick, My Mom: The Kim Broderick Story. The book provides her personal account of her parents' toxic divorce, the devastating murders, and the aftermath. This move was a deliberate attempt to tell the story from the children’s perspective, a voice often lost in the media sensationalism. * Current Activities: While Kim and Lee were reported to be living in central Idaho as recently as 2020, they have largely stayed out of the public eye. There is a record of a Kimberly Broderick working as a full-time editorial freelancer and former managing editor in Montvale, NJ, though it is not definitively confirmed to be the daughter. * Lee Broderick's Privacy: Lee remains the most private of the siblings, with little public information available on her current career or family life, beyond a 2010 statement where she claimed she "needs a job."

The Divided Stance: Betty Broderick’s 2032 Parole Hearing

The most critical and emotionally charged public issue for the Broderick children is their mother's incarceration and her next parole hearing, scheduled for January 2032. Betty Broderick, convicted of two counts of second-degree murder, will be 84 years old at the time.

A Family Divided on Freedom

The children have consistently been divided on the question of their mother's release, a painful echo of the split jury in her second trial. * Support for Release: At past parole hearings in 2010 and 2017, some of the children advocated for their mother’s freedom, believing she has served enough time and should be released to live out her final years with her family. * Opposition to Release: Other siblings have expressed opposition, or at least reservations, citing their mother's perceived lack of remorse and the need to protect the public. The parole board has previously denied her release, describing her as "unrepentant" and a danger to society, a sentiment that aligns with the concerns of some of her children.

The Ongoing Impact of the 'Dirty John' Series

The 2020 television series, *Dirty John: The Betty Broderick Story*, brought the entire saga back into the national conversation, forcing the Broderick children to once again confront their family's trauma. * Renewed Scrutiny: The series, which starred Amanda Peet as Betty and Christian Slater as Dan, reignited public debate over the case, the nature of domestic abuse, and Betty’s guilt. * The Children's Perspective: While the children have remained largely silent on the series itself, the renewed interest has undoubtedly complicated their efforts to maintain a quiet life. Kim Broderick's book, published years before the series, remains the only primary source detailing the experience from the children’s point of view. The Broderick children's journey is a powerful testament to survival. They have navigated the extraordinary trauma of losing both parents in a single, violent act, only to emerge as successful professionals, dedicated parents, and private citizens. Their ongoing challenge lies in balancing their need for privacy with the public's relentless fascination with the crime that shattered their lives, all while preparing for the inevitable emotional turmoil of their mother's final chance at freedom in 2032.

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