They believed that Cherrie was abducted. The family and friends of the family were questioned and, appearance of the van and mural, no van has ever been seized in connection with Cherries disappearance and there has never been a main person of interest. She was declared legally dead in November 1998. Mahan's local community raised $39,000 as a reward for Mahan's safe return, with a local business also pledging an additional $10,000 for information leading to an arrest and conviction of her abductor or abductors. "It was very graphic and cruel to me," she says. The tipster said she called a phone number listed on Mahan's missing person flier, but never heard back from anyone. On the morning of February 22, 1985, Cherries mother Janice accompanied her to the bus stop, approximately 50 yards away from their home. Three months earlier, she had donated the $50,000 reward sum for information leading to the safe return of her daughter to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. "The person who I said was her father never wanted to admit to it," she said. Mahan's mother has stated that prior to . Cherrie's mom doubts the van was even involved. "It's amazing after all these years we still get a lot of inquiries a lot of information, a lot of tips, sometimes we'll get a couple a week, other times it may go months and we don't hear anything," he says. Cherrie has never been heard from again. This was the last time that she was seen. Cherrie's picture wasdistributed and featured on milk cartons. She said she was so concerned that she even tracked down Mahan's mother. She was my life". Have You Seen Cherrie Mahon? - KILLERS, KREEPS, AND OTHER KRAZY STUFF Unfortunately, a thick fog fell across Winfield Township and the The elementary school became a Cherrie's father maintains his innocence in her case. There have been many tips and leads, but Cherrie's case remains unsolved. She went missing Feb. 22, 1985 walking home from her bus stop. Over the years, there have been frenzied moments of hope. And I said 'go check' and he went down he checked and she wasn't there," she says. Learn how your comment data is processed. PITTSBURGH,None Cherrie Mahan vanished from a Butler County neighborhood 26 years ago. The man, who wasn't identified . Just read another article about it this morning that said that. The February 04, 2022, "The criminal justice system will take a hard look at what happened to Matthew Eappen. I watched an interview from Soft White Underbelly. They donated the life insurance policy they received to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, and put a car accident settlement she had received into a trust fund for her brother. The van would later be described as a 1970s-era Dodge (possibly a 1976 model) with a distinctive mural depicting a skier traversing a snowcapped mountain painted on the side. Previous Stories: June 13, 2011: New Trooper Assigned To 25-Year-Old Missing Girl Case She believes that incident and the disappearance are related, and that "friends" of her alleged rapist (Cherrie's unnamed biological father) were responsible for Cherrie's disappearance. mother, Janice. TIMELINE: Events Surrounding The Disappearance Of Cherrie Mahan. This is a pivotal missing person case because it was the first to feature a circulated flier with the child's photo. His family have no solid clues and no sightings to pin their hopes on, and no idea if they will ever see. Cherrie Ann Mahan was born in Saxonburg, Pennsylvania, on August 14, 1976. ", Trp. Her birth father had never "That would be a blessing to me if they would call me and just say it's over," she says. Janice McKinney is holding out hope that after 35 years someone will have an attack of conscience and come forward with the tip police need. Janice read the letter carefully. If nothing else, she'll always be in our hearts.". had seen a blue or green van with a skier and mountain scene painted on the But somebody knows something. January 25, 2022, "The effects of abuse are devastating and far reaching. "I truly believe that there is someone out there that knows exactly what happened," she says. Cherrie Mahan - Chilling Crimes He was ruled out as a suspect when police confirmed he was in New York the day of Cherrie's disappearance. And that day I was not," she says. The longer it goes If the good Lord feels shell be better off with him, Police said that girl may now be a woman living in a small Michigan community. off Cornplanter Road where the family lived. "It's very interesting and there are questions that have been posed and we need to find the answers. Her mother believes Cherrie's biological father or someone he knows had something to do with Cherrie's disappearance. 36 years later, still so sign of local girl abducted getting off school This line of inquiry failed to generate any significant leads. Cherrie Mahans Disappearance Haunts Her Mother 35 Years Later Trib Live WINFIELD TOWNSHIP, Pa. (KDKA) - On a sunny Feb. 22, 1985, 8-year-old Cherrie Mahan got off her school bus on Cornplanter Road and headed to her driveway and her home. Cherries biological father has never been charged in connection with her disappearance and maintains his innocence. However, Mahan's horrifying disappearance changed everything. Her The location of Cherrie Mahan, and the circumstances regarding her disappearance remains unknown. Mahan's mother, Janice McKinney, has stated her conviction her daughter's disappearance can still be solved. The individual named in this letter was a woman who had been adopted as a child and was unsure of her precise origins, although DNA testing later confirmed this woman was not Mahan. John Shumway went back to the state police today about Cherrie's biological father. Eventually the FBI was called in to assist in the search yet no clues turned up. In late 1984, the family relocated to Cornplanter Road in Butler County. Jenn is a lawyer-turned-author and true crime writer. Its very Although existing laws had determined Cherrie Mahan could have been declared legally dead seven years after her disappearance, Mahan's mother only pe*ioned to have her daughter legally declared deceased in 1998. Janice McKinney says authorities did not believe her rape allegation and Cherrie's biological father was never charged. Cherrie Ann Mahan (August 14, 1976 disappeared February 22, 1985; declared legally dead November 5, 1998) was an eight-year-old American girl who disappeared on February 22, 1985, after disembarking a school bus approximately fifty feet from the base of the driveway to her home in rural Winfield Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania. Missing From: CABOT, PA. If you have any information on the circumstances surrounding Cherries disappearance, please call the Pennsylvania State Police Missing Persons unit at 724-284-8100. Long says, "We actually followed up on to the point we were investigating people outside of the commonwealth, the FBI got involved and helped us out. Cherrie and her family deserve answers. Long says, "It gave us hope that this really was Cherrie, so we looked at pictures with the family and we also took fingerprints and ultimately it was discovered that it was not Cherrie. That afternoon, her mother, Janice McKinney, had promisedtobring her to a friend's house. Last updated September 23, 2021; age-progression updated. Appeals as to sightings of the distinctive bluish-green Dodge van produced eyewitnesses who informed investigators they had seen a vehicle matching this description in New Kensington, traveling in the direction of Mount Pleasant. In 2014 authorities received a tip that Cherrie was alive and living under a different name in Michigan, but DNA testing confirmed it was not her. Learn about careers at Cox Media Group. Cherrie Ann Mahan (August 14, 1976 - disappeared February 22, 1985; declared legally dead November 5, 1998) was an eight-year-old American girl who disappeared on February 22, 1985, after disembarking a school bus approximately fifty feet from the base of the driveway to her home in rural Winfield Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania. Janice and Leroy began searching the area and called people they knew to try to find her. Friends Gather To Remember Cherrie Mahan February 22, 2010: 25 Years Later, Search Continues For Missing Girl. Im still hoping for the day she comes home and I can marry her off, she said.5, In November of 1998, Cherrie was declared legally dead. You would think a child would be safe to walk such a short distance I hope the parents dont blame themselves. Age: 8 years old Cherrie Mahan was born on August 14, 1985, to 16-year-old mother Janice Mahan. Up until that day, I was there every day to pick her up after school. 8 year old Cherrie Mahan was last seen exiting her school bus near her home in Winfield Township, Pennsylvania on February 22, 1985. When ten minutes had elapsed and Mahan had not arrived, her mother and stepfather began to worry. You could 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Now 26 years later, the details of the woman's story are emerging and police said they are looking into every new piece of information. Cherrie's family had her declared legally deceased in 1992. Cherrie Mahan And Then They Were Gone In 1985, a bright, spunky 8-year-old girl got off the bus in Butler County, Pennsylvania. In 2011, Rebecca Coriam disappeared from a Disney cruise ship. That van was very distinctive I wouldnt be surprised if it was destroyed shortly afterwards. Cherrie got off the bus that day in her grey coat, denim skirt, white leotard, blue leggings, and Cabbage Patch ear muffs. According to Chilling Crime, Mahan, along with three other children, exited the bus at approximately 4:10 p.m. Debbie Burk was parked in her van at the bus stop, waiting for her two children and another child who she had agreed to drive home. "If they have information and they've been holding it for all these years, that they see what this woman has been living with her entire adult life and come forward and give that information to us.". Fisher, Bonnie S.; Lab, Steven P. (2010). Cherrie's biological father has been questioned extensively by the police and denies any knowledge of the abduction. "I think about her all the time, I pray for her every night, I pray for her every morning," Janice says. In November of 2015 cadaver dogs were sent to search a property in Winfield based on a tip theyd received, but no sign of Cherrie was found. Three other students got off with her at the stop. The van was seen following the school bus that Cherrie got off of that day. When Janice met Leroy, he looked after and loved Cherrie. Both Janice and Leroy were waiting for her at the top of the hill in the porch but Cherrie never made it that far. Long. Major Cherrie Mahan Update: Her Mother Believes She Knows Who Took Her Child, https://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2020/02/18/mother-police-still-searching-for-butler-county-girl-cherrie-mahan/, https://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/video/4452856-cherrie-mahans-mother-still-searching-35-years-after-disappearance/. ", by Chilling Crimes If nothing else, shell always be in our hearts, said her mother. In 2020, McKinney revealed her conviction that although she does not believe Cherrie's biological father was involved in her abduction, she believes individuals known to him were. 5-year-old Regina Mae Armstrong was abducted from outside her babysitter's apartment in broad daylight. The day Cherrie disappeared, Janice had the day off from work. One of the most recent lines of inquiry investigators pursued dates from 2018, when McKinney received an anonymous handwritten letter describing in detail who had murdered her daughter, why they had done so, and where her remains are buried. If you have any information on the disappearance of Cherrie Mahan, contact the State Police Butler barracks at 724-284-8100. It wasn't until sometime after that track meet that the woman said she learned about the Mahan case. A forensic team excavated a mount there but uncovered nothing related At the time of her disappearance, she was 42 tall and weighed about 68 pounds with brown hair and hazel eyes. May 26, 2020, "It take two people to make a lie work:the person who tells it, and the one who believes it.". She was last seen getting off the school bus about 100 yards from home. Janice believes there is a connection between her rape, Cherrie's birth, and eight years later her disappearance "I do, I believe that but I can't prove anything," she says. I can't begin to imagine the pain. When the school bus arrived, the two told each other they loved each other before Mahan boarded the bus. Cherrie's case has never been solved. Cherrie stood 42 and weighed 68 pounds when she disappeared. Nonetheless, Janice doted on her daughter, who grew into a friendly, talkative child, later stating: "We were always together. Clothing: Cherrie's biological father was not a part of her life. The young married couple moved to Winfield Township and Leroy worked as a postal worker.They chose the area as itwas a quiet area and they thought it was the perfect place for Cherrie to grow up as there were many children who played outdoors and everyone felt so safe that they left their doors unlocked. There's been a lot of vans we actually processed forensically and unfortunately didn't lead us anywhere.". The police did not believe the rape allegation and Cherrie's biological father was never charged. Witnesses claimed that there was also a blue car following the van that day. In November of 1998 Cherrie was declared legally dead, and her family set up a trust fund in Cherrie's name that could be transferred to her younger brother Robert who was born four years after her disappearance. Four of the attendees of this annual dinner are close friends of Mahan, who have each publicly stated the disappearance of their friend has had a profound impact on their lives, and that becoming mothers themselves has increased their empathy for Janice McKinney's sense of loss. Police began to speak to people in the area, the children who were on the bus and the bus driver to try to locate Cherrie. Likewise, the police say until they have evidence to the contrary, they have to assume there is still a chance Cherrie is alive. Protect yourself and those you love. Location: Winfield Township, Pennsylvania She was approximately 100 to 150 yards along a dirt driveway from her family's residence on Cornplanter Road in Cabot, Pennsylvania at the time she disappeared. Somebody would have known who was driving a van with that design on both sides at the time. Even if someone does not know the full details of what happened, they know something and must come forward. State police said they are now tracking a possible sighting of the girl that happened months after she vanished. On Friday, February 22, 1985, the child was excited as her mother intended to take her on a play date when she returned from school. Cherrie, circa 1985; Age-progression to age 44 (circa 2020); Sketches of van possibly involved. Janice McKinney feels like she has nothing to lose in her search to find out what happened to her daughter. Someday I'm gonna know.". and Leroy McInney heard the school bus coming up the road just as they did Despitethe unique appearance of the van and mural, no van has ever been seized in connection with Cherries disappearance and there has never been a main person of interest. The only thing Trp. No one should have to live with those unanswered questions. But she does not believe he was involved in her disappearance? "I was gonna jump out, cause that car behind us was going to squish me like a bug and I didn't care," she says. transferred to her brother.6 This is not over. When 8-year-old Cherrie got off the bus that day, Janice says she didn't just evaporate. In December of 1910, she disappeared without a trace. A small blue car was also seen near the site of Cherrie's disappearance. Its a kidnapping. PA - PA - Cherrie Mahan, 8, Cabot, 22 Feb 1985 - Websleuths "Not him personally but the people that he knows yes. . "Not him personally, but the people that he knows, yes," she says. Missing in Pennsylvania: Unsolved Cases from the Keystone State, Killers in the Classroom: Case Studies of School Rampage Shooters. If you have any information on the circumstances surrounding Cherrie's disappearance, please call the Pennsylvania State Police Missing Persons unit at 724-284-8100. Now, 35 years later, Janice McKinney just wants to know. Have you seen this child? Cherrie Mahan - National Center for Missing Some pieces to the puzzle appear to be falling into place here just days away from the 35th anniversary of the crime. MicroComputers, a Pittsburgh company, donated a Children on the bus that day told police they saw a conversion van with a skier painted on the side. Cherrie Mahan was last seen on February 22nd 1985 in Cabot, Pennsylvania. Description above from the Wikipedia article Disappearance of Cherrie Mahan, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia. It was such anunusual van. Her house was just fifty yards from the school stop and Debbie Burk, the mother of one of Cherrie's friends, saw Cherrie get off the bus and walk past her van. Leroy wasn't Cherrie's birth-father. Debbie, the children on the bus and the bus driver told Janice and Leroy that Cherrie did get off the bus. They also wrote to frustrating. It was the 22ndof February, 1985, when Janice for Cherrie. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. It is unknown if the car has anything to do with her case either. I want to see it, I want to know what happened. Cherrie Ann Mahan. The question still remains: Who killed him? Cherrie's biological father has never been charged in connection with her disappearance and maintains his innocence. acknowledged her or attempted to have any kind of relationship wit She was approximately 100 to 150 yards along the dirt driveway from her familys residence on Cornplanter Road. She was carrying a blue backpack with two straps and a cream colored top. daily newspaper in the nation. By using this website, you accept the terms of our Visitor Agreement and Privacy Policy, and understand your options regarding Ad Choices. Cherriewas the first missing child to be featured in the program. Although investigators declined to release specific details as to this line of inquiry beyond stating the information sourced from an individual known to the child who had provided information with the potential to lead police to "a known specific actor or actors", a spokesman stated the information received had been "more specific" than any information investigators had received in many years. According to her mother, Cherrie was conceived through rape when she was 16 years old. Then in 2015, cadaver dogs descended on a Winfield property Janice claimed that she'd been raped at the age of 15, but this didn't stop Janice being a good mother who doted on her daughter. A further line of inquiry investigators pursued dates from 2014, when investigators pursued a tip that Mahan was alive and living under an *umed name in Michigan. Mahan was last seen exiting her school bus on Cornplanter Road on February 22, 1985. Cherrie Mahan's family and members of law enforcement gathered at the Saxonburg Memorial Church 30 years after her unsolved disappearance. Her stepfather reported her missing when he couldnt locate her. Memories of Cherrie Mahan - Facebook Cherries mother did tell the police but they didnt believe her and her biological father was never charged with any wrongdoing. The comments below have not been moderated, by Chilling Crimes Get The Latest News Sent To Your Email! Her mother, Janice Mahan, was just 16 at the time she gave birth to her daughter, which she later confessed had been a result of her being raped at age 15. She was in the third grade. This is a follow up to the Cherrie Mahan post a few days ago, I mentioned in it there was a new big news story about her I saw in passing on our local TV. Nineteen years have gone by since anyone saw a young Irish man named Trevor Deely. Cherrie was born on August 14, 1976, and her mother Janice was only sixteen when Cherrie was born. Another person saw Cherrie walk past the van which was seen parked at the side Investigators said they have received calls and emails about sightings periodically, but the main thing they want now is evidence. He was running up and down the road He Cherrie got found you know. Major Cherrie Mahan Update: Her Mother Believes She Knows Who - Reddit Cherrie has pierced ears. The heartbreaking disappearance of a third-grader has haunted a small Pennsylvania town for almost four decades, It sounds like a scene out of a movie: a beautiful little girl gets off her school bus, waves to her friends, and begins to make the short walk up her driveway alone. When Cherrie Mahan was abducted, investigators had little to go on, but they have investigated numerous leads over the years. The van has never been located or identified and investigators are still not sure if it was connected to Cherrie's case. On 22 February, 1985, 8-year-old Cherrie Mahan hopped off her school bus in Winfield Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania. In the early years, she turned to drugs to dull the pain and sold everything she had, "just to get another high because that pain was killing me, it was just killing me.". Mahan was then observed to walk past a bluish-green, 1970s-era Dodge van with a distinctive mural depicting a skier traversing a snowcapped mountain . I remember this as a child, the description of the van that is! She would drive Robert to and from school, and even walks him into the building. Cherrie Mahan: Still Missing After 36 Years - Medium In 1984 the family moved to to a home on Cornplanter Road in Butler County, Pennsylvania. WINFIELD TOWNSHIP, Pa. (KDKA) - On a sunny Feb. 22, 1985, 8-year-old Cherrie Mahan got off her school bus on Cornplanter Road and headed to her driveway and her home. Cherrie and her family deserve answers. She has never been seen or heard. The skier of the mural was wearing red and yellow clothing and was depicted skiing down the mountain. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Long says, "Unfortunately that letter as a whole hasn't been very fruitful at this point. Is she alive, is she not alive, is she okay, is she not okay, is she with somebody are they taking care of her, are they not taking care of her? Cherrie Mahan And Then They Were Gone Police said they met with Mahan's mother on Monday to inform her of the new developments in the case. 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Thirty-five years after her daughter 8-year-old Cherrie Mahan got off her school bus in rural Butler County and disappeared, Janice McKinney can tell you time does not heal the wound. Witnesses said she got into a blue van with a skier mural painted on the side. Everything! 15 Unsolved Disappearances That Shocked the World
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