Bloodhounds were unable to pick up Cherries trail past the point where the blue van had stopped. So we will work as quickly as we can to get those answers," said Lt. Steve Ignatz. Janice says, "They were ecstatic. Eight year old Cherrie Mahan was looking forward to finishing school for the weekend. She shared with us that Cherrie was the result of rape when Janice was 16. Missing From: CABOT, PA. There was an intensified nationwide campaign to find missing children and photographs of Cherrie were featured on spaghetti boxes and tucked inside telephone and utility bills. No one should have to live with those unanswered questions. After school Cherrie exited the school bus with three friends at approximately 4:10 pm. Oh my God, its Cherrie! Some missing information: her mother, Janice, had Cherrie at 16 after being raped. "Without forgiveness, I was eating myself alive," she says. 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. Wikipedia article Disappearance of Cherrie Mahan, National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. "To forgive somebody that I didn't know because I was killing myself.". Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Cherrie's family had her declared legally deceased in 1992. Witnesses came forward to say they saw ablue van in the New Kensington area traveling back to the Mount Pleasant area in Westmoreland County. The Disappeared Blog is a true crime blog dedicated to covering the stories of the missing and to their loved ones. Mahan's mother, Janice McKinney, has stated her conviction her daughter's disappearance can still be solved. was wearing a gray coat, a blue denim skirt, a white leotard, blue leg warmers and beige boots. Previous Stories: June 13, 2011: New Trooper Assigned To 25-Year-Old Missing Girl Case Tipsters can remain anonymous. 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. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. This is not over. She has never been seen or heard. Cherrie Mahan's family and friends hold an annual remembrance dinner at a restaurant in East Butler on a date close to each anniversary of her disappearance. Debbie Burk, a mother who lived near Cherrie's family, told the Associated Press in 1985 that she always sat . The bright blue or green 1976 Dodge van that was seen at the bus stop at the time Cherrie went missing may be connected to her case, though the van or person driving it has never been identified. On the night of 7th December 2000 he attended his work Christmas party in Dublin and simply vanished. by Chilling Crimes Cherrie was known to be a cheerful little girl. Home Mysteries The Disappearance of Cherrie Mahan. Likewise, the police say until they have evidence to the contrary, they have to assume there is still a chance Cherrie is alive. So did somebody know her? Updated 10 times since October 12, 2004. There was a van parked behind Debbie's van that Cherriehad to walk past. You could last we know of her is she got off the bus. Three other children got off the bus at her stop. Did somebody knock her on the head and drag her into a car, did somebody say 'hey your mom said we're to pick you up and get in the car?' Psychic Sisters Suzanne and Jean Vincent give detailed psychic Impressions as to what has happen to Cherrie Mahan, Abducted from Butler County February 22 19. That was the last time she was seen. Her books are available on Amazon. For what motive, we dont know. Did she fall overboard or did something much more sinister happen? You kiss the face, you put them in the ground, and you say goodbye that's something I never had. The Resource Center For Cold Case Missing Childrens Cases, Vital Statistics at Time of Disappearance, Missing From: Cabot, Butler County, Pennsylvania, Distinguishing Characteristics: Caucasian Female, Brown hair, Hazel eyes, Cherrie previously broke her left arm below her shoulder hit the injury had healed by the time she disappeared, she has a dog bite scar on her left arm, Cherrie has a cowlick on the right side of her hair, and her ears are pierced, Clothing/Jewelry Description: A white leotard, a gray coat, a blue denim skirt, white stockings, blue leg warmers, beige soft ankle boots with no heals, Brown Cabbage Patch earmuffs, Cherrie was carrying a blue backpack with two straps and a cream colored top and was decorated with a blue and red heart. And that day I was not," she says. An unidentified small blue car was also observed near the bus stop that day, but it is unknown if it had anything to do with her case. Children who were on the bus with Cherrie told police that a 1976 blue Dodge van was following the bus that day: It had a skiing scene, a mountain and a skier, painted on the side.. 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. wrapped up in a blanket sleeping in her car that was parked in the driveway, ", The pain of the unknown has been hard to handle from the start. searchers could barely see further than a few feet in front of them. Two of the children were Debbie's children and she gave a lift to another child who lived near her house. Janice reportedly had a very close and loving relationship with Cherrie, who was described as a talkative and sweet young girl. He later recollected he had intended to walk down the 150-yard driveway to meet his stepdaughter before his wife said: "No, it's a nice day. 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. Her friends on the bus notice a van with a mural painted on the side lurking in the background. Cherrie, circa 1985; Age-progression to age 44 (circa 2020); Sketches of van possibly involved. Missing Date: Fri, Feb 22 1985. One of my Uncles was a State Trooper that assisted in trying to find her. By using this website, you accept the terms of our Visitor Agreement and Privacy Policy, and understand your options regarding Ad Choices. Janice McKinney says authorities did not believe her rape allegation and Cherries biological father was never charged. . We'll always look for Cherrie. In late 1984, the family relocated to Cornplanter Road in Butler County. Cherrie Mahan's Mother Still Searching 35 Years After Disappearance Watch on Cherrie Mahan's mother is still searching, KDKA's John Shumway reports. Its a kidnapping. It was described as having a snow capped mountain and skier mural painted on both of its sides. A small blue car was also seen near the site of Cherrie's disappearance. Janice and her husband Leroy were in their home at the top of the hill waiting for Cherrie to get home so they could take her to a play date with friends. It was February 22, 1985, when a school bus dropped Mahan off at her stop on Cornplanter Road in Winfield Township. She still remains missing. "It's heart breaking for anybody. To understand the depth of this mother's despair you need to know this: "I got raped and had Cherrie when I was 16 years old and she was 'IT' for me. So she reached deep in her faith and found a way to forgive whoever was involved in Cherrie's disappearance. Cherrie's biological father has never been charged in connection with her disappearance and maintains his innocence. They combed through the farmland and fields In 2000, a computer-generated rendition of how Mahan may have looked at age 23 was mailed to thousands of households across America. for Cherries safe return.3 Local businesses pledged another $10,000 for information Addressing the media following the conclusion of these legal proceedings, Janice McKinney stated: "When people die, you have a body. February 04, 2022, "The criminal justice system will take a hard look at what happened to Matthew Eappen. "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. "Not him personally, but the people that he knows, yes," she says. New Kensington area traveling back to the Mount Pleasant area in Westmoreland County. In 2019, Mahan's mother discussed her ongoing turmoil as to the lack of knowledge of her daughter's fate. She was last seen wearing a gray coat, blue denim skirt, blue leg warmers, and . Using investigative research combined with primary audio, Morbidology takes an in-depth look at true crime cases from all across the world. MicroComputers, a Pittsburgh company, donated a prisoners in the area, hoping that one of them would have some information Missing Since 02/22/1985 Missing From Cabot, Pennsylvania Classification . What I hope what people get from this piece is people actually see the pain she's living through," says Trp. The comments below have not been moderated, by Chilling Crimes February 19, 2020 / 7:48 PM Cherrie Mahan And Then They Were Gone In 1985, a bright, spunky 8-year-old girl got off the bus in Butler County, Pennsylvania. Mahan's disappearance is one of the most infamous unsolved missing child cases in the United States. The elementary school became a Target 11's Rick Earle has uncovered a new lead in the case that has . 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. When she failed to arrive home, her stepfather went looking for her and called police when he failed to find her. She alighted this bus with three friends at approximately 4:10:p.m. before her friends entered a car driven by the mother of one of the girls, Debbie Burk, who had followed the school bus in her own car. Cherrie's family had her declared legally deceased in 1992. Leroy wasn't Cherrie's birth-father. "Because the only thing that I cared about was taken from me. There have been many tips and leads, but Cherrie's case remains unsolved. If you have any information on the disappearance of Cherrie Mahan, contact the State Police Butler barracks at 724-284-8100. for Cherrie. Missing person fliers were distributed which described Cherrie as 4 feet 2 inches tall and 68 pounds with brown hair and hazel-eyes. However, none of their efforts led to any new or useful information. Cherrie Ann Mahan was born in Saxonburg, Pennsylvania on August 14, 1976 to mother Janice Mahan, who was just 16 years old when Cherrie was born. It was the 22ndof February, 1985, when Janice She gave it to the police and Trp. 2023 Cox Media Group. Theyare in our work places, our friendship groups and sometimes even our homes. But she does not believe he was involved in her disappearance? Her Cherrie Mahan's trust fund was given to her younger brother, Robert, who was born four years after Mahan's disappearance. And even harder, she says she had to find a way to forgive her own mother's guilt. off Cornplanter Road where the family lived. Trp. "I truly believe that there is someone out there that knows exactly what happened," she says. I want to see it, I want to know what happened. Cherrie, as you may know, is an 8-year-old girl who disappeared shortly after getting off her school bus on February 22, 1985 from Butler County, Pennsylvania. The 1985 Disappearance of School Girl Cherrie Ann Mahan ~ True Crime Diva, The Mysterious Disappearance Of Cherrie Mahan Explained - Celeb 99, The Town That Got Away With Murder Ken Rex McElroy, The Unsolved Murder of Regina Mae Armstrong, Lost at Sea The Disappearance of Rebecca Coriam. Let her walk." The van was following the school bus Cherrie had been riding in. Cherrie's mother admitted that she became pregnant with Cherrie after being raped. 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. mother, Janice. Two sketches of the vehicle are posted with this case summary. In 1994,police questioned a Massachusetts man who was accused of abducting and killing a child and of attempting to abduct another child. These things run in my head every single day of my life.". Theres been Pushing back tears she says, "I just want to be there in case they find her or in case they find just bones I want to be there. Cherrie Ann Mahan was born in Saxonburg, Pennsylvania, on August 14, 1976. After finding her, he asked many times about what she could remember from the possible sighting. But A bright blue 1976 Dodge van with a mural of a mountain and a skier may be involved in her disappearance. It is unknown if the car has anything to do with her case either. ", Police are aware of McKinney's suspicions and have told her the man is adamant in his denials. Fisher, Bonnie S.; Lab, Steven P. (2010). McKinney said Cherrie's father still lives in Butler County and was local to where she grew up in Clinton Township. She disappeared after getting off the school bus from her elementary school at approximately 4:05 pm. [] Morbidology reports Cherrie Mahans family and law enforcement agencies throughout the nation went to great lengths to make sure every media outlet and newspaper in the United States would distribute information about Mahan and the mysterious van. Cherrie's mom doubts the van was even involved. Janice later married a Vietnam veteran named LeRoy McKinney, who willingly accepted Mahan as his stepdaughter. Long. 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. The The author of this letter concluded this correspondence by stating: "I pray you find some peace after you find her body.". It was just thetwo of them for a while and they were extremely close. 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 never made it home, and has never been seen again. Cherrie Mahan was last seen on February 22nd 1985 in Cabot, Pennsylvania. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children featured Mahan as the first missing child to be depicted upon postcards distributed nationwide alongside a headline reading, "Have You Seen Me?" Debbie, the children on the bus and the bus driver told Janice and Leroy that Cherrie did get off the bus. 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. 8 year old Cherrie Mahan was last seen exiting her school bus near her home in Winfield Township, Pennsylvania on February 22, 1985. In another follow up article just hours after the original the police spell out his person of interest status more explicitly: "John Shumway (local reporter) went back to the state police today about Cherries biological father. transferred to her brother.6 This is not over. Those tips have prompted them to renew their call for anyone else with even small bits of info who were in the Cabot, Butler County, PA area that February 22, 1985 or who know information about the case to come forward with their information: Contact the State Police Butler barracks at 724-284-8100 with any info. She told John Shumway no one believed her claim of rape, and to this day she feels Cherrie's biological father knows something about who took Cherrie. 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. third grade. she kept the door unlocked every night in the hopes that it was a Janice had moved to Mars with Leroy and the couple now had a 5-year-old son, Robert. This was the last time that she was seen. 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. By this stage, it was around 4.30pm. premonition.4, The case gradually went cold. Last seen: February 22, 1985 Since KDKA's report aired last night at 11, Trooper Jim Long says, "We've gotten a ton of tips, it's been very effective and as of now, we're still trying to work our way through them, cause even as we are speaking now, I would not be surprised if we got a couple more.". Status: Still Missing; declared legally dead in 1998. Pennsylvania State Police Officer Robert McGraw, referencing the ongoing investigation into Cherrie Mahan's disappearance. The skier was wearing red and yellow clothing and was skiing down the mountain. 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. Janice McKinney says authorities did not believe her rape allegation and Cherrie's biological father was never charged. Local, state and national agencies helped in the investigation. Location: Winfield Township, Pennsylvania Mahan attended Winfield Elementary School, where she was regarded as a bright, popular and happy child. If nothing else, she'll always be in our hearts.". The mother was allegedly raped and conceived Cherrie. 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/. Protect yourself and those you love. On the morning of February 22, 1985, Cherries mother Janice accompanied her to the bus stop, approximately 50 yards away from their home. Janice said: We heard the bus come and after five or tens minutes and Leroy said maybe she fell down, do you want me to go check? I remember this as a child, the description of the van that is! He maintains his innocence in . Age: 8 years old Investigators quickly discounted any possibility Mahan had been kidnapped for a ransom; concluding the child most likely knew her abductor or abductors, although all family members were quickly eliminated as suspects. According to her mother, Cherrie was conceived through rape when she was 16 years old. Cherrie got found you know. Janice later married LeRoy McKinney who accepted Cherrie as his step-daughter. John Shumway went back to the state police today about Cherrie's biological father. The child's mother has stated that she doesn't believe Cherrie's biological father kidnapped her, but that people "known to him . She was 4:feet 2:inches (1.27:m) in height and had brown hair and hazel eyes. ", Trp. Again the links to this new info are here: Here's the article- https://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2020/02/18/mother-police-still-searching-for-butler-county-girl-cherrie-mahan/, And the TV news segment video- https://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/video/4452856-cherrie-mahans-mother-still-searching-35-years-after-disappearance/. When Cherrie went missing, shewas wearing a gray coat, a blue denim skirt, a white leotard, blue leg warmers and beige boots. ", Janice's reaction: "There are very mean people out there that try to get into the story I guess.". ", by Chilling Crimes Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. And I didn't care what happened.". Donations are accepted but not expected; the site remains free-access to all. Mahan's mother has stated that prior to her daughter's disappearance, nobody had believed her claims that her daughter had been conceived through her being raped, adding that on "any other day", she would have been standing at the bottom of her driveway to meet her daughter when the school bus arrived, and that February 22, 1985, was the first day she had not done so. about Cherries whereabouts. Up until that day, I was there every day to pick her up after school. First published on February 18, 2020 / 11:00 PM. They believed that Cherrie was abducted. 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. Theres nothing to point the finger of suspicion at anybody. 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. Required fields are marked *. personal computer for volunteers to keep track of addresses. Only Leroy's strong arm and grip kept it from happening. On 22 February, 1985, 8-year-old Cherrie Mahan hopped off her school bus in Winfield Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania. "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. PITTSBURGH,None Cherrie Mahan vanished from a Butler County neighborhood 26 years ago. Missing in Pennsylvania: Unsolved Cases from the Keystone State, Killers in the Classroom: Case Studies of School Rampage Shooters. There was a soda machine down the street outside the beer distributor and We knew the owner whom was like another grandfather to us ..We even called him Pappy and he would give us each a dollar and free soda anyways We would walk down the street arms locked always looking out for said van! 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. It was such anunusual van. He said that there had been no leads for years but said that they were still treating the case as a stranger abduction. Cherrie's photo is shown age-progressed to 44 years. no ransom note, said Lt. Francis Walton of the state police. McKinney has made statements over the years about possible suspects, including an acquaintance of Cherrie's biological father, who McKinney said raped her when she was 15 and has never been . Cherrie lived with her mother and stepfather, Leroy McKinney, in Winfield Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania, United States. Now, in 2019, her mother told Target 11 Investigator Rick . of the road. At this event, stories and memories of Cherrie are shared. Debbie was the last known person to see Cherrie and she claimed she waited until Cherrie walked past her vanbefore she drove off. road like madmen. She was only eight-years-old when she disappeared. Cherriewas officially declared dead in November 1998. The Disappearance of Fredrick Valentich She was last seen getting off the school bus about 100 yards from home. Long says, "Unfortunately that letter as a whole hasn't been very fruitful at this point. You would think a child would be safe to walk such a short distance I hope the parents dont blame themselves. If you have any information on the circumstances surrounding Cherries disappearance, please call the Pennsylvania State Police Missing Persons unit at 724-284-8100. Cherrie Mahan, age 8 (Photo provided by PA State Police) . A forensic team excavated a mount there but uncovered nothing related Pennsylvania State Police continue to receive tips and updates relating to Mahan's disappearance. This is a group to remember a very special little girl who went missing over 33 years ago this year. And I said go check and he went down he checked and she wasnt there.. Her birth father had never 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. Mahan alighted her bus with three friends at approximately 4:10 p.m. before her friends entered a car driven by the mother of one of the girls, Debbie Burk, that had followed the school bus. In 1995, the case was taken over by state Trooper Frank Jendesky. "It's very interesting and there are questions that have been posed and we need to find the answers. 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.She was declared legally dead in November 1998. The vehicle has never been located or identified and its unclear if it was the vehicle used to abduct Mahan. Its very Its so sad, the mom really has a lot of guilt because apparently that was the one day that she didnt pick her up at school or something. The big news is Cherrie's mother says she believes she knows who took her. Your email address will not be published. RSS: Cherrie Mahans Mother Still Searching 35 Years After She Disappeared, Cherrie Mahans Disappearance Haunts Her Mother 35 Years Later, Pennsylvania Child Still Missing After Getting Off School Bus in 1985, 36 Years Later, Still No Sign Of Girl Abducted After Getting Off School Bus, The Mysterious Disappearance of Cherrie Mahan, the National Center For Missing & Exploited Children. But she does not believe he was involved in her disappearance? Subscribe to WTAE . "Because I wasn't there that day. about Cherrie. Cherrie Mahan's family and members of law enforcement gathered at the Saxonburg Memorial Church 30 years after her unsolved disappearance. 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. On her shoulder and near her heart, Janice carries tattoos to remind her of her daughter and every day she prays for the relief of 'that call' from the police. We drove down the document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. It was the 22nd of February 1985. The residents of Skimore watched as the town bully was shot dead in broad daylight. Mahan was last seen exiting her school bus on Cornplanter Road on February 22, 1985. I can't begin to imagine the pain. 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. "There was nobody that was a stranger to her," her mom says, "Like if you said her name she thought you knew her. It was like the Earth opened up and she fell in, said her Mahan's stepfather, LeRoy McKinney, overheard the school bus slowing to a halt near his home. Description above from the Wikipedia article Disappearance of Cherrie Mahan, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia. That's all I pray for, all the time, is just to know.". Janice read the letter carefully. 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. Jenn is a lawyer-turned-author and true crime writer. Cherries ears are pierced, and she has a dog bite scar on her left arm. When Cherrie went missing, she. The police did not believe the rape allegation and Cherrie's biological father was never charged. bus and heading down the hill towards her driveway. We also went to a property that the letter mentioned.". 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. Cops have deemed said father a "person of interest" as well (see below), which is possibly a new revelation too. Early on in the investigation, it was theorised that Cherrie had ", Sign up to get the latest true crime stories, new product releases and more, Sign up to get the latest on sales, new releases and more . The police have said that unless the case veers in a different direction for some reason, Cherrie . This spokesman declined to further elaborate, citing the ongoing investigation. When Janine had a dream that she found Cherrie Despite the many tips authorities have received over the years, investigators have no new leads in her disappearance. Long says, "There's been a lot of vans that we looked at. The short walk should have only taken a few minutes but Cherrie Cherrie's biological father was not a part of her life. In November of 1998 Cherrie was declared legally dead, and her family set up a trust fund in Cherries name that could be transferred to her younger brother Robert who was born four years after her disappearance. Copyright Disappeared Blog; All Rights Reserved /. When it became clear that Cherrie was not just playing with friends somewhere, Janice and Leroy contacted police. Upon being reported missing police searched the area around Cherries home for days, with the assistance of helicopters, bloodhounds, and 250 volunteers.

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