But somebody knows something. Another person saw Cherrie walk past the van which was seen parked at the side document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Police were notified within an hour of Cherrie getting off the bus. Police said that girl may now be a woman living in a small Michigan community. She gave it to the police and Trp. Cherrie, circa 1985; Age-progression to age 44 (circa 2020); Sketches of van possibly involved. There were some leads in the years that followed. Witnesses came forward to say they saw ablue van in the New Kensington area traveling back to the Mount Pleasant area in Westmoreland County. These things run in my head every single day of my life.". 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. She was last seen getting off the school bus about 100 yards from home. 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. A search of their driveway did not locate the child or any of her footprints upon the snow on the ground leading to her house, although they did discover a set of tire impressions in the driveway soil approximately fifty yards from their home. Cherrie Ann Mahan was born in Saxonburg, Pennsylvania, on August 14, 1976. Cherrie got found you know. Cherrie Mahan was last seen on February 22nd 1985 in Cabot, Pennsylvania. Cherrie and her family deserve answers. every week day. 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. Long. 4. We also went to a property that the letter mentioned.". Mahan's mother has stated that prior to . 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.. We grew up together. And police are hoping in there somewhere, they'll find the answer to Cherrie's disappearance. She was my life". Oh my God, its Cherrie! 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. You would think a child would be safe to walk such a short distance I hope the parents dont blame themselves. 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. Get WPXI Headlines On Your Phone, iPhone, More The only thing Trp. 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. She shared with us that Cherrie was the result of rape when Janice was 16. 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. Now 35 years later, Pennsylvania State Trooper Jim Long says the phone still rings at the Butler Barracks about Cherrie. Age: 8 years old Janice alleged that she was raped and as a result had Cherrie. Domestic violence speaks many languages, has many colors and lives in many different communities. The woman in question denies that she is Mahan, but investigators said they have a lot of questions and interviews to do before making any determinations. 36 Years Later, Still No Sign Of Girl Abducted After Getting Off School Bus WPXI Enter your email address to receive notifications of new posts. He was ruled out as a suspect when police confirmed he was in New York the day of Cherrie's disappearance. January 17, 2022 State police said they are now tracking a possible sighting of the girl that happened months after she vanished. ", But like all the other leads Trp. Efforts to locate Mahan, alive or deceased, are ongoing. Friends Gather To Remember Cherrie Mahan . about Cherries whereabouts. Cherrie Mahan's trust fund was given to her younger brother, Robert, who was born four years after Mahan's disappearance. acknowledged her or attempted to have any kind of relationship wit Three other students got off with her at the stop. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Cherrie's biological father has never been charged in connection with her disappearance and maintains his innocence. I wasn't there. about Cherrie. But Some witnesses believed the van was painted black shortly after Cherrie went missing. But she does not believe he was involved in her disappearance? . The van has never been located or identified and investigators are still not sure if it was connected to Cherrie's case. Here are the exact passages from the article: "Janice believes there is a connection between her rape, Cherries birth, and eight years later her disappearance I do, I believe that but I cant prove anything, she says. She was last seen wearing a gray coat, blue denim skirt, blue leg warmers, and . Cherrie was born on August 14, 1976, and her mother Janice was only sixteen when Cherrie was born. She went missing Feb. 22, 1985 walking home from her bus stop. 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. and to this day she feels Cherrie's biological father knows . 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. This is a pivotal missing person case because it was the first to feature a circulated flier with the child's photo. Cherrie's father maintains his innocence in her case. searchers could barely see further than a few feet in front of them. Her friends on the bus notice a van with a mural painted on the side lurking in the background. 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. Jenn is a lawyer-turned-author and true crime writer. Likewise, the police say until they have evidence to the contrary, they have to assume there is still a chance Cherrie is alive. A bright blue or green 1976 Dodge Van is believed to possibly be involved in Mahans abduction. to Cherrie or her disappearance. When 8-year-old Cherrie got off the bus that day, Janice says she didn't just evaporate. Leroy was her step dad, and Cherrie didn't know her biological dad. radio stations picked it up and played it on air hoping to generate some tips She disappeared after getting off the school bus from her elementary school at approximately 4:05 pm. I believe her name is pronounced like Sherry, at least that's what I've always heard. "That would be a blessing to me if they would call me and just say it's over," she says. This is not over. Investigators took along cadaver dogs and Cherrie's mom was right there with them. 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/. She was declared legally dead in November 1998. On the 6th of April, 1986, Anthonette Cayedito, 9, disappeared from her home in New Mexico after an unidentified man knocked at the door. She said she was so concerned that she even tracked down Mahan's mother. 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. And I said go check and he went down he checked and she wasnt there.. The police were called and days of searches began. ", Trp. Home Mysteries The Disappearance of Cherrie Mahan. Other children on the bus and a neighbour told police that they Her mother believes that people who had connections to Cherrie's biological father were involved in Cherrie's presumed abduction. By using this website, you accept the terms of our Visitor Agreement and Privacy Policy, and understand your options regarding Ad Choices. I watched an interview from Soft White Underbelly. personal computer for volunteers to keep track of addresses. Mahan's abduction is strongly believed not to have been committed by a family member. CABOT, Pa. Feb. 22 marked 36 years to the day that an 8-year-old Butler County girl was abducted after getting off her school bus on Cornplanter Road in Cabot. "Because I wasn't there that day. Cherrie Mahan was last seen on February 22nd 1985 in Cabot, Pennsylvania. 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. In the decades since Mahan's disappearance, investigators have pursued thousands of leads pertaining to the child's whereabouts and the iden*y of her abductor or abductors. Long says, "There's been a lot of vans that we looked at. She writes about missing persons, unsolved murders, and human rights. The big news is Cherrie's mother says she believes she knows who took her. disappearance. Mahan's stepfather, LeRoy McKinney, overheard the school bus slowing to a halt near his home. At the time of her disappearance, she was 42 tall and weighed about 68 pounds with brown hair and hazel eyes. 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. The elementary school became a 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. Emphasizing her belief that an anonymous tip from the public could finally give herself and her family the closure they crave, McKinney stated to the media: "I just wish someone would come forth and tell me what happened. She believes people connected to Cherrie's father were involved in her disappearance. 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. More recently, a woman called the nursing home where Janice works claiming to be Cherrie. 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? He said that there had been no leads for years but said that they were still treating the case as a stranger abduction. After being unable to find her he called the police to report her missing at approximately 5:00 pm. Cherrie Mahan was born on August 14, 1985, to 16-year-old mother Janice Mahan. Tipsters can remain anonymous. "I never left that house without her, we were always together, we grew up together, she was my life," Janice says. "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. Cherries ears are pierced, and she has a dog bite scar on her left arm. 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. He maintains his innocence in . Theres nothing to point the finger of suspicion at anybody. Dedicated to covering the stories of the missing, Updated May 14, 2022; Posted May 14, 2022, Name: Cherrie Ann Mahan 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? The Disappearance of Cherrie Mahan Wikipedia 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! Investigators said they have received calls and emails about sightings periodically, but the main thing they want now is evidence. Cherrie and her family deserve answers. Updated 10 times since October 12, 2004. The day Cherrie disappeared, Janice had the day off from work. Debbie was the last known person to see Cherrie and she claimed she waited until Cherrie walked past her vanbefore she drove off. Cherrie Ann Mahan (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 wearing Cabbage You kiss the face, you put them in the ground, and you say goodbye that's something I never had. Unfortunately, a thick fog fell across Winfield Township and the 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. MicroComputers, a Pittsburgh company, donated a "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? Two sketches of the vehicle are posted with this case summary. Finally found a replay of it and then the link online and it's a potentially MAJOR update. In 1995, the case was taken over by state Trooper Frank Jendesky. never arrived home. The longer it goes If the good Lord feels shell be better off with him, There was a van parked behind Debbie's van that Cherriehad to walk past. Patch earmuffs, blue leg warmers and a denim skirt. 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. Last updated September 23, 2021; age-progression updated. Theres been A bright blue or green 1976 Dodge van was seen in the area at the time of Cherrie's disappearance and may be connected to her case. 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. Using investigative research combined with primary audio, Morbidology takes an in-depth look at true crime cases from all across the world. June 14, 2011 at 5:20 pm EDT. I can't begin to imagine the pain. through the afternoon, evening, and well into the night. 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. Two of the children were Debbie's children and she gave a lift to another child who lived near her house. Authorities also sent letters to people who were incarcerated to ask whether they had heard anything about the missing girl from other inmates. Donations are accepted but not expected; the site remains free-access to all. 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. Long will say about suspects: "Anybody that was implicated, until we find evidence otherwise, they still would be considered a suspect.". Janice McKinney says authorities did not believe her rape allegation and Cherries biological father was never charged. In January 2011, Pennsylvania police received a new tip they deemed as "potentially crucial to the investigation in the future". They believed that Cherrie was abducted. From that day to today, Janice McKinney has been searching face for her daughter Cherrie who never made it up the hill that day to their home. for Missing and Exploited Children.7. They also wrote to It was the 22nd of February 1985. We almost hit Leroy. 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. Shortly thereafter, they donated the $58,000 reward fund to the National Center The police did not believe the rape allegation and Cherrie's biological father was never charged. Cherrie has pierced ears. 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. When ten minutes had elapsed and Mahan had not arrived, her mother and stepfather began to worry. Even if someone does not know the full details of what happened, they know something and must come forward. After finding her, he asked many times about what she could remember from the possible sighting. 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. Somebody would have known who was driving a van with that design on both sides at the time. On the night of 7th December 2000 he attended his work Christmas party in Dublin and simply vanished. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. 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. Everything! Pennsylvania State Police Officer Robert McGraw, referencing the ongoing investigation into Cherrie Mahan's disappearance. About 10 minutes after the school bus stopped outside their home and she still hadnt returned, her stepfather went out to look for her. Cherrie Ann Mahan The Charley Project, Cherrie Mahans Mother Still Searching 35 Years After She Disappeared CBS Pittsburgh 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. 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. Word of the potential abduction spread quickly throughout the January 2011. Some missing information: her mother, Janice, had Cherrie at 16 after being raped. 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. Cherrie Mahan's family and members of law enforcement gathered at the Saxonburg Memorial Church 30 years after her unsolved disappearance. ", by Chilling Crimes 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. Some pieces to the puzzle appear to be falling into place here just days away from the 35th anniversary of the crime. . Earle traveled to Michigan to track down the source of the tip. The van was parked on a corner and Cherriehad to turn at that corner and then walk up a hill to her house. "What a person might think may be insignificant, that may be the piece that we're looking for," he says. She was carrying a blue backpack with two straps and a cream colored top. I never left that house without her, we were always together, we grew up together, she was my life.".