I never left that house without her, we were always together, we grew up together, she was my life.". prisoners in the area, hoping that one of them would have some information Your email address will not be published. Cherrie's photo is shown age-progressed to 44 years. Some witnesses believed the van was painted black shortly after Cherrie went missing. document.getElementById("ak_js_1").setAttribute("value",(new Date()).getTime()); document.getElementById("ak_js_2").setAttribute("value",(new Date()).getTime()); As a mother of 3 I cant even imagine this. We grew up together. In December of 1910, she disappeared without a trace. Cherrie Ann Mahan The Charley Project, Cherrie Mahans Mother Still Searching 35 Years After She Disappeared CBS Pittsburgh Cherries ears are pierced, and she has a dog bite scar on her left arm. Cherrie Ann Mahan. Cherrie stood 42 and weighed 68 pounds when she disappeared. Pennsylvania State Police continue to receive tips and updates relating to Mahan's disappearance. Investigators took along cadaver dogs and Cherrie's mom was right there with them. Major Cherrie Mahan Update: Her Mother Believes She Knows Who - Reddit "And believe me, any parent who has dealt with an accidentthat guilt can kill ya.". 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. Unsolved Disappearance of Cherrie Mahan, age 8, Butler County personal computer for volunteers to keep track of addresses. There were further and multiple sightings of avan. Janice alleged that she was raped and as a result had Cherrie. 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. May 26, 2020, "It take two people to make a lie work:the person who tells it, and the one who believes it.". 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. of the road. Cherrie's biological father has never been charged in connection with her disappearance and maintains his innocence. At this event, stories and memories of Cherrie are shared. 36 Years Later, Still No Sign Of Girl Abducted After Getting Off School Bus WPXI When Cherrie Mahan was abducted, investigators had little to go on, but they have investigated numerous leads over the years. Psychic Vincent Sisters Profile Missing Cherrie Mahan - YouTube 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. However, Mahan's horrifying disappearance changed everything. Mobile: 36 years later, still so sign of local girl abducted getting off school Cherrie was last seen wearing a white leotard, a gray coat, a blue denim skirt, white stockings, blue leg warmers, beige ankle boots, and brown Cabbage Patch earmuffs. "I truly believe that there is someone out there that knows exactly what happened," she says. Debbie was the last known person to see Cherrie and she claimed she waited until Cherrie walked past her vanbefore she drove off. 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. Local, state and national agencies helped in the investigation. I can't imagine the pain her mother must wake up with every day.". It is unknown if the car has anything to do with her case either. The comments below have not been moderated, by Chilling Crimes Friends Gather To Remember Cherrie Mahan Cherrie's mother admitted that she became pregnant with Cherrie after being raped. about Cherrie. And I said 'go check' and he went down he checked and she wasn't there," she says. Despite the many tips authorities have received over the years, investigators have no new leads in her disappearance. Eight year old Cherrie Mahan was looking forward to finishing school for the weekend. . When it became clear that Cherrie was not just playing with friends somewhere, Janice and Leroy contacted police. Cherrie walked homealone. Enter your email address to receive notifications of new posts by email. "It's a torment, I've been tormented since the day she was taken. 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. Tipsters can remain anonymous. And I didn't care what happened.". They donated the life insurance policy to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and put a car accident settlement they had given to Cherri to her brother for a trust fund. Cherrie and her family deserve answers. She was last seen getting off the school bus about 100 yards from home. "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. Morbidology is a weekly true crime podcast created and hosted by Emily G. Thompson. That was the last time she was seen. It was February 22, 1985, when a school bus dropped Mahan off at her stop on Cornplanter Road in Winfield Township. The police did not believe the rape allegation and Cherrie's biological father was never charged. A small blue car was also seen in the area at the time of Cherries disappearance but its unknown is this vehicle was involved either. Age: 8 years old She shared with us that Cherrie was the result of rape when Janice was 16. Now, 35 years later, Janice McKinney just wants to know. At the time of her disappearance, Cherrie attended Winfield Elementary School, where she was regarded as a popular, bright and happy child. "It's like your heart has been snapped half and it will never go back together again," she says. Protect yourself and those you love. On the 6th of April, 1986, Anthonette Cayedito, 9, disappeared from her home in New Mexico after an unidentified man knocked at the door. Cherrie was then observed walking past a blue/green van that was parked near the bus stop, before turning the corner to walk up the driveway to her home. 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. 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. Status: Still Missing; declared legally dead in 1998. Target 11's Rick Earle has uncovered a new lead in the case that has investigators working on new interviews and a DNA test in Michigan. She thought about suicide and even tried to jump out of the passenger door of her truck on Route 8. 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. ", 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 . A forensic team excavated a mount there but uncovered nothing related Up until that day, I was there every day to pick her up after school. When the school bus arrived, the two told each other they loved each other before Mahan boarded the bus. Powered by Shopify, Leroy worked as a postal worker.They chose the area as it, Witnesses claimed that there was also a blue car following the van that day. At the time of her disappearance, she was 4'2" tall and weighed about 68 pounds with brown hair and hazel eyes. There was a van parked behind Debbie's van that Cherriehad to walk past. Cherrie's family had her declared legally deceased in 1992. Cherrie's biological father has been questioned extensively by the police and denies any knowledge of the abduction. 2023 Chilling Crimes. "Because I wasn't there that day. 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. His family have no solid clues and no sightings to pin their hopes on, and no idea if they will ever see. This is not over. The Disappearance of Cherrie Mahan Wikipedia The van has never been located or identified and investigators are still not sure if it was connected to Cherrie's case. 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. TIMELINE: Events Surrounding The Disappearance Of Cherrie Mahan. If you have any information on the disappearance of Cherrie Mahan, contact the State Police Butler barracks at 724-284-8100. He said that there had been no leads for years but said that they were still treating the case as a stranger abduction. That van was very distinctive I wouldnt be surprised if it was destroyed shortly afterwards. headquarters and a local grocer donated food for those assisting in the search. However, none of their efforts led to any new or useful information. 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. Debbie Burk, a mother who lived near Cherrie's family, told the Associated Press in 1985 that she always sat . 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. WINFIELD TOWNSHIP, Pa. (KDKA) - Almost 35 years later, Cherrie Mahan's mother still lives in Butler County, and she wants to know what happened to her daughter. She never made it home. Someday I'm gonna know.". forthcoming weeks, firefighters and helicopters assisted in the daunting search No arrests have ever been made in her case and no suspects have been identified in the case. The big news is Cherrie's mother says she believes she knows who took her. She believes people connected to Cherrie's father were involved in her disappearance. Mahan was wearing a gray coat, a blue denim skirt, a white leotard, blue leg warmers, beige boots, and Cabbage Patch earmuffs. State Police Ask People With Information About Cherrie Mahan's Did she fall overboard or did something much more sinister happen? In 2019, Mahan's mother discussed her ongoing turmoil as to the lack of knowledge of her daughter's fate. Its a kidnapping. all about me: Disappearance of Cherrie Mahan - Blogger 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. June 14, 2011 at 5:20 pm EDT. Another person saw Cherrie walk past the van which was seen parked at the side There are predators everywhere. Just read another article about it this morning that said that. 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. Pennsylvania, with their 8-year-old daughter,Cherrie Mahan. her.1. 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. but to no avail. Cherrie was born on August 14, 1976, and her mother Janice was only sixteen when Cherrie was born. 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?" Three other children got off the bus at her stop. Efforts to locate Mahan, alive or deceased, are ongoing. 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. A Friday. They believed that Cherrie was abducted. By this stage, it was around 4.30pm. New Kensington area traveling back to the Mount Pleasant area in Westmoreland County. Missing Person Recommendation : mrballen - Reddit She went missing Feb. 22, 1985 walking home from her bus stop. Patch earmuffs, blue leg warmers and a denim skirt. Cherrie Mahan's trust fund was given to her younger brother, Robert, who was born four years after Mahan's disappearance. Letters and posters were sent to every television station and 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.". daily newspaper in the nation. The Disappearance of Cherrie Mahan - TPKs Stories Not him personally but the people that he knows yes., Police are aware of McKinneys suspicions and have told her the man is adamant in his denials. Her books are available on Amazon. There have been many tips and leads, but Cherrie's case remains unsolved. Mahan was last seen exiting her school bus on Cornplanter Road on February 22, 1985. She said she was so concerned that she even tracked down Mahan's mother. She gave it to the police and Trp. Other witnesses stated they had seen a blue car following this van, and that the van was repainted black one or two weeks after Mahan's disappearance. I can't imagine if that was my child. Copyright Disappeared Blog; All Rights Reserved /. Cherrie, circa 1985; Age-progression to age 44 (circa 2020); Sketches of van possibly involved. last we know of her is she got off the bus. They also wrote to ", by Chilling Crimes Have you seen this child? Cherrie Mahan - National Center for Missing One of my Uncles was a State Trooper that assisted in trying to find her. / CBS Pittsburgh. 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Janice later married a Vietnam veteran named LeRoy McKinney, who willingly accepted Mahan as his stepdaughter. 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. Cherrie Ann Mahan NamUS "I never left that house without her, we were always together, we grew up together, she was my life," Janice says. Target 11's Rick Earle has uncovered a new lead in the case that has . Cherrie Ann Mahan - The Charley Project It was the 22ndof February, 1985, when Janice Earle said the tipster was vague but then went into more detail after Channel 11 News cameras were shut off. "What a person might think may be insignificant, that may be the piece that we're looking for," he says. He maintains his innocence in his daughters disappearance. You would think a child would be safe to walk such a short distance I hope the parents dont blame themselves. Theonly other piece of evidence police had was tire marks that had been left in the snow at the bottom of the hill.Nobody saw Cherrie get into a van or car and nobody saw anybody taking Cherrie. 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 . Wikipedia article Disappearance of Cherrie Mahan, National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. ", "Does she miss me, does she want me, does she know me? Police said they are now doing DNA testing to rule out any possibility that the woman living in Michigan is not Cherrie Mahan. Janice McKinney says authorities did not believe her rape allegation and Cherrie's biological father was never charged. CABOT, Pa. Thirty-four years ago, on Feb. 22, 1985, 8-year-old Cherrie Mahan got off the school bus in Cabot but never made it home. Blue incolor with the mural on both sides. The residents of Skimore watched as the town bully was shot dead in broad daylight. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. And police are hoping in there somewhere, they'll find the answer to Cherrie's disappearance. Some pieces to the puzzle appear to be falling into place here just days away from the 35th anniversary of the crime. Cherrie Mahan was last seen on February 22nd 1985 in Cabot, Pennsylvania. Almost 35 years later, Cherrie Mahan's mother still lives in Butler County, and she wants to know what happened to her daughter. Now 35 years later, Pennsylvania State Trooper Jim Long says the phone still rings at the Butler Barracks about Cherrie. Janice read the letter carefully. She was carrying a blue backpack with two straps and a cream colored top. off Cornplanter Road where the family lived. Missing Since 02/22/1985 Missing From Cabot, Pennsylvania Classification . Cherrie Mahan: Still Missing After 36 Years - Medium acknowledged her or attempted to have any kind of relationship wit no ransom note, said Lt. Francis Walton of the state police. 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? Your email address will not be published. On the morning of February 22, 1985, Cherries mother Janice accompanied her to the bus stop, approximately 50 yards away from their home. She was in the Janice McKinney feels like she has nothing to lose in her search to find out what happened to her daughter. When Janine had a dream that she found Cherrie You kiss the face, you put them in the ground, and you say goodbye that's something I never had. Theyare in our work places, our friendship groups and sometimes even our homes. The police were called and days of searches began. PA - PA - Cherrie Mahan, 8, Cabot, 22 Feb 1985 - Websleuths Police said they met with Mahan's mother on Monday to inform her of the new developments in the case. road like madmen. We drove down the Cherrie Mahan only had to walk around the corner and go up her 150-foot driveway to make it home where her parents were waiting for her. The vehicle has never been located or identified and its unclear if it was the vehicle used to abduct Mahan. Learn how your comment data is processed. Janice reportedly had a very close and loving relationship with Cherrie, who was described as a talkative and sweet young girl. Theres no trace of her at the Notify me of follow-up comments by email. 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?' Janice says, "They were ecstatic. A small blue car was also seen near the site of Cherrie's disappearance. "The person who I said was her father never wanted to admit to it," she said. It was the 22nd of February 1985. 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. 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. MicroComputers, a Pittsburgh company, donated a 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. Target 11: Police Seek DNA In Cherrie Mahan Case - WPXI family sought this action so that a trust fund in Cherries name could be This is a group to remember a very special little girl who went missing over 33 years ago this year. I believe her name is pronounced like Sherry, at least that's what I've always heard. Cherrie's mom doubts the van was even involved. The police did not believe the rape allegation and Cherrie's biological father was never charged. Required fields are marked *. Mahan's mother, Janice McKinney, has stated her conviction her daughter's disappearance can still be solved. Witnesses came forward to say they saw ablue van in the New Kensington area traveling back to the Mount Pleasant area in Westmoreland County. In 2000, a computer-generated rendition of how Mahan may have looked at age 23 was mailed to thousands of households across America. side following the bus from Winfield Elementary School to Cherries bus stop. The longer it goes If the good Lord feels shell be better off with him, I watched an interview from Soft White Underbelly. The state police in butler are waiting for your call. hell take her, she said. third grade. 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. Mahan's mother has stated that prior to . Authorities believe that Cherrie was kidnapped and possibly murdered afterwards. The mother was allegedly raped and conceived Cherrie. But a couple of years after Cherrie disappeared, Janice shook herself out of here spiral of self-destruction and learned what she hopes others will take to heart, the power of forgiveness. 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 . The only thing Trp. 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. He lived in a nearby town and while police have ruled him out, Janice believes he's somehow involved. Cherrie got found you know. Every single day. February 04, 2022, "The criminal justice system will take a hard look at what happened to Matthew Eappen. Cherries mother did tell the police but they didnt believe her and her biological father was never charged with any wrongdoing. 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. 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. It is up to the rest of us to take an even harder look at who is minding our children. 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.