Within weeks, up to 250 people and several helicopters were scanning the region for Mahan or the van that was seen on the corner. The short walk should have only taken a few minutes but Cherrie She was only eight-years-old when she disappeared. or call our tipline and leave us a message: (412) 237-4963. According toActive Missing People, authorities also ruled out kidnapping for ransom, as the family never received any ransom demands. CHERRIE ANN MAHAN Birth: 8/14/1976 - Death: Unknown (Legally ~ 1998) Ethnicity: Caucasian - Sex: Female Height: 4'2" - Weight: 58 lbs Hair Color: Brown - Eye Color: Hazel Other: She has a cowlick on the right side of her hair and has both ears pierced She has scars on her left arm from the dog bite A forensic team excavated a mount there but uncovered nothing related 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. In 1994, they learned the man had abducted and killed one child and attempted to abduct another. According to her mother, Cherrie was conceived through rape when her mother was sixteen years old. The case has gone on to become one of the most infamous missing children cases in US history. about Cherries whereabouts. Mahan's local community raised $39,000 as a reward for Mahan's safe return,[19] with a local business also pledging an additional $10,000 for information leading to an arrest and conviction of her abductor or abductors. No arrests have ever been made in her case and no suspects have been identified in the case. Theres no trace of her at the Unfortunately, no sign of the van or the girl was ever found. I made sure Cherrie had walked past the car, then I drove away. The family eventually moved to the quiet suburb of Winfield Township, Pennsylvania, where LeRoy was employed as a postal worker. Updated 10 times since October 12, 2004. 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Cherrie was the first child to be featured on mailers sent out by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Cherrie was known to be a cheerful little girl. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. "There was [sic] a bunch of people and a couple of dogs, and you know they went over the property with a fine-tooth comb,"Janice said, but no trace of Mahan was found. Cherrie Mahan's mother still searching for answers. Cherrie Mahan's Mother Still Searching 35 Years After Disappearance Watch on Cherrie Mahan's mother is still searching, KDKA's John Shumway reports. If nothing else, she'll always be [alive] in our hearts. Although he often walked to the end of the driveway to meet Mahan, Janice told him to let her walk alone because the weather was particularly nice that day. [30] 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. 'It's A Torment': Cherrie Mahan's Mother Still Searching 35 Years After She Disappeared From Butler Co. February 18, 2020 / 11:00 PM / CBS Pittsburgh WINFIELD TOWNSHIP, Pa. (KDKA) - On a sunny. This is not over. If she had gotten lost or was killed near her home, for example, officials believe they would have found some trace of her, her clothes, or her belongings during the extensive searches. Mahan's first name is phonetically pronounced "Cherry". She received $3,500 in compensation for her injuries. To this day nobody has been able to confirm the death. I feel we have a good chance of solving this, the women said. In the morning her, her cigarettes, and her lighter were gone. Now, 35 years later, Janice McKinney just wants to know. Cherrie Mahan was 8 years old when she disappeared from her bus stop one day after school in 1985. Patch earmuffs, blue leg warmers and a denim skirt. Several witnesses, including her schoolmates, saw Mahan get off the bus and begin walking toward her home, which was approximately 50 yards away. Jedesky said he still received tips, including a call from a woman who believed she saw Mahan on an episode of "Dr. Phil" and a letter from an inmate at a correctional facility in Ohio who said he might have information about the girl's disappearance. for Missing and Exploited Children.7. Show all. Since Feb. 22, 1985, her mother,. Craig had filed for divorce months before she disappeared but the couple continued living together. . 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! Van Der Sloot was arrested twice and the brothers in the car with him three times under suspicion of involvement. through the afternoon, evening, and well into the night. Long. While she had accepted that her daughter had most likely been He was under the impression that she got a ride to her job since her phone and purse were gone. Hair: Brown. She was only eight-years-old when she disappeared. Although it was suggested that her biological father might have been involved, authorities were never able to tie him to the assumed abduction. 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. When Cherrie Mahan was abducted, investigators had little to go on, but they have investigated numerous leads over the years. Please enter valid email address to continue. He had a chance to speak with a guy who, as a boy, got off at the same bus stop as Cherrie did. The story shocked the entire country because it caused parents to fear for the safety of their children even in the middle of the day. "I'll never forget, but I have forgiven.". headquarters and a local grocer donated food for those assisting in the search. Someone has to know something.. Other children on the bus and a neighbour told police that they 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,[34] 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. But they are trying. [23] Mahan was wearing a gray coat, a blue denim skirt, a white leotard, blue leg warmers, beige boots,[24] and Cabbage Patch earmuffs. By all accounts, McKinney cared deeply for Mahan and treated her as if she were his own daughter. Today marks 38 years since 8-year-old Cherrie Mahan disappeared in Butler County. But they are trying harder and upping their efforts to find answers around the anniversary of the 8-year-old's disappearance Feb. 22, Cherrie Mahan would be 42 years old today. We dont give up hope, Kofluk said. In 2014, Target 11 traveled to Michigan to investigate a tip that Cherrie was alive and living under another name. The Disappearance of Cherrie Mahan By Emily G. Thompson. The neighborhood was described as a safe place where children spent a lot of time playing outside, and residents rarely locked their doors. She was unhappy with the relationship that she was cultivating with her fiance. [29], 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. The van had a snow-capped mountain and skier mural painted on both sides of the vehicle. It is unknown if the car has anything to do with her case either. Authorities believe Cherrie was abducted, but no suspect has ever been identified in her case. Associated Press. They split up just before the disappearance as Tony was headed home. Cherrie Mahan, born August 14, 1976, was an eight-year-old child from Butler County, Pennsylvania when she was abducted on Friday, February 22, 1985 around 4o'clock pm, just moments after stepping off the school bus, which was approximately 100 yards from her home along a road in rural Winfield Township. She was kidnapped by a suspect who has since been taken into custody. As reported by Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, LeRoy McKinney was outside waiting on the porch when he heard the school bus pulling up to the stop and the children getting off the bus. Before leaving campus on February 9, 2004, she emailed her professors and her work supervisor that she was taking a week off because of a death in the family. To this day the baby remains missing. Jedesky retired in 2011, and another trooper was assigned to continue investigating Mahan's case. Eliminating suspects one by one, police questioned the McKinneys. 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. PITTSBURGH Cherrie Mahan vanished from a Butler County neighborhood 26 years ago. What happened to Cherrie Mahan? Team Adam investigators are Shawn Kofluk, a retired state police corporal, and Tom Maurer, a retired sheriff from Wayne County, Ohio. Now, in 2019, her mother told Target 11 Investigator Rick Earle she hopes an anonymous tip will help police crack this cold case. [] 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. third grade. Here are the 15 Most Shocking Disappearances That'll Never Be Solved. A thorough search of Butler County was bolstered by an estimated 250 local volunteers, although these searches failed to locate the child. In 1966, 18-year-old Cheri Jo Bates was attacked after she left Riverside City College Library, California. It wasnt until 2006 that the government openly claimed that they thought he was dead and had no idea where his remains could be. This was the last time that she was seen. This line of inquiry failed to generate any significant leads. Child Find Case #: 11703. Appearance Born on August 14, 1976, a Caucasian female with brown hair and hazel eyes. She was declared legally dead in November 1998. 5 talking about this. Cherie Mahan Addresses. She was my life". According to the children, the van a 1970s Dodgethat reportedly followed behind the bus for several miles was blue and had large murals of mountains and a downhill skier. PA PA - Cherrie Mahan, 8, Cabot, 22 Feb 1985. Though Craig was a person of interest in the matter he has never been arrested for the disappearance of Lisa Stebic. (CNN) - Cherrie Mahan was 8 years old when she disappeared from her bus stop one day after school in 1985. 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[33] later confirmed this woman was not Mahan. Sources:charleyproject.organdinternationalcruisevictims.org. Her case info. We grew up together. On February 22, 1985, Cherrie Mahan got off of her school bus only blocks from her home. Her left arm was previously broken below her left shoulder, but the injury had healed before her 1985 disappearance. hell take her, she said. In 1994, they learned the man had abducted and killed one child and attempted to abduct another. Since that dark day more than three decades ago, Cherrie, the eight-year-old with the big brown eyes and the pretty smile, has become a part of Pittsburgh's collective memory. Her mother is adamant that these items were dropped as Calico tried to mark her path. of the road. Over time and all of the stuff we looked into, including family members, the case is open and no one is clear beyond a reasonable doubt until this thing is solved, DeLuca said. Little Etan Patz disappeared his very first time walking to the school bus on his own. That van was very distinctive I wouldnt be surprised if it was destroyed shortly afterwards. It was the 22ndof February, 1985, when Janice If nothing else, shell always be in our hearts, said her mother. In 2019, Janice McKinney received an anonymous letter from someone who claimed they knew specific details about what happened to her daughter. I worked 40 years in a nursing home. She turned the letter over to policebut never heard back. She never made it home. Missing person fliers were distributed which described Cherrie as 4 feet 2 inches tall and 68 pounds with brown hair and hazel-eyes. Cherrie has a cowlick on the right side of her hair. 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.". The mysterious death of the still-unidentified Isdal Woman has haunted Norway for almost 50 years. Katherine Korzilius, 6, was discovered unconscious at the side of the road four houses away Amanda Tusing set off from her fianc's home in Jonesboro, Arkansas, to her parents' home Would love your thoughts, please comment. The 8-year-old third-grader was last seen Feb. 22, 1985, as she got off a school. WINFIELD TOWNSHIP A new appeal is being made as a grim anniversary occurs today for a family in a township along the Butler-Armstrong county line. 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. We drove down the On 22 February, 1985, 8-year-old Cherrie Mahan hopped off her school bus in Winfield Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania. However, since the bombshell announcement in June 2020 about new prime suspect Christian B - public progress has been slow. Tony would hitchhike and his brother would ride his bicycle. Janice was a single mother for several years before she met and married Vietnam veteran LeRoy McKinney. The police did not believe the rape allegation and Cherrie's biological father was never charged. Eight-year-old Mahan was living in rural Pennsylvania when she disappeared after getting off a school bus not far from her home on Feb. 22, 1985. disappearance. Finally found a replay of it and then the link online and it's a potentially MAJOR update. Nonetheless, Janice doted on her daughter, who grew into a friendly, talkative child,[10] later stating: "We were always together. Without photos, for example, police followed up on hundreds of vans with illustrations of mountain scenes, skiers and even some cowboys. Although police continue to run down every tip received, they need something more solid, DeLuca said. According to Morbidology, authorities also launched a national campaign to print her photos and a description of the van on grocery products. I hope someone comes through with some good firsthand knowledge, Trooper Max DeLuca said. 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.[44]. In 1994, a Massachusetts man was questioned by police after he was. If you have any information concerning this case, please contact: Pennsylvania State Police 412-284-8100. transferred to her brother.6 This is not over. CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT A TIP TO CHANNEL 11NEWS. When Janine had a dream that she found Cherrie Who Killed KRBC Presenter Jennifer Servo? By using this website, you accept the terms of our Visitor Agreement and Privacy Policy, and understand your options regarding Ad Choices. Child", "State Police Ask People with Information about Cherrie Mahan's Disappearance to Come Forward", "Classmates, Mother Hope Dramatization Will Bring Home Missing Girl", "Family, Friends Still Seek Answers 30 Years after Winfield Child Vanished", "Tip Could Be 'Crucial' Lead in Cherrie Mahan Case", "Missing 8-Year-Old on Utility Bills, Spaghetti Boxes", "Cherrie Mahan Case Still Oopen 30 Years After She Disappeared", "Cherrie Mahan's Mysterious Disappearance Haunts Her Mother 35 Years Later", "Pennsylvania Child Cherrie Mahan Still Missing After Getting off School Bus in 1985", "Breaking: New Information Released in Cherrie Mahan Disappearance", "25 Years Later, Search Continues For Missing Girl", "Cherrie Mahan Case Still Open 30 Years After She Disappeared", "State Police Ask Anyone with Information About Cherrie Mahan's Disappearance to Come Forward", "Police Report New Lead on Long-Missing Pa. For the latest news on everything happening in Chester County and the surrounding area, be sure . Last updated September 23, 2021; age-progression updated. This Israeli pilot was marked as missing in action in October 1986. Law enforcement and Butler's psychic sisters are frustrated by a 38-year search for a suspect in the abduction of Cherrie Mahan from a rural bus stop in Winfield Township. Morbidology reports Cherrie Mahan's 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. Calicos mother requested that she bring mace on her rides but the young woman shrugged her off. In addition, Kofluk said, he and Maurer are starting at square one with the old police report, evidence and crime scene information.. McKinney said Cherries father still lives in Butler County and was local to where she grew up in Clinton Township. Investigators suspect the cases are linked with the leading theory . [27], Investigators quickly discounted any possibility Mahan had been kidnapped for a ransom;[28][n 4] concluding the child most likely knew her abductor or abductors, although all family members were quickly eliminated as suspects. The woman had packed her boxes and taken the art off the walls. premonition.4, The case gradually went cold. Both men were last seen handcuffed driving away in the back of Calkins squad car. The last call on his cell phone was placed at 4:05 am on January 5 to a friend that he had seen that day. But she does not believe he was involved in her disappearance? Click Here For Cherie Mahan's Last Known Address 2046 Stanford Ave, Flint, MI 48503-4011 501 E Ridgeway Ave, Flint, MI 48505-5246 1117 Pettibone Ave, Flint, MI 48507-4812 3507 Clovertree Ln Apt 5, Flint, MI 48532-4726 Po Box 736, Baldwin, MI 49304-0736 1633 Jane Ave, Flint, MI 48506-3372 4400 Kings Ln # 4104, Burton, MI . Eventually, suspect Bruno Richard Hauptmann was . Cherrie Mahan is shown in photo at left as the 8-year-old when she was reported missing after she stepped off a school bus Feb. 22, 1985. These cards were mailed to thousands of households across the U.S., placed inside telephone and utility bills, alongside an artist's rendition of the distinctive van seen in the vicinity of her abduction. Cherrie Mahan disappeared in 1985 after hopping off her school bus. 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. On the night of March 31, 2006, medical student Brian Shaffer decided to party to celebrate the first day of spring break. For what motive, we dont know. "I truly believe that there is someone out there that knows exactly what happened," she says. The skier was wearing red and yellow clothing and was skiing down the mountain. On her trail, several items were found, including her broken walkman, headphones, and phone. 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?" The investigation was highly criticized, but the Aruban police and hundreds of volunteers scoured the nation for her. The fliers also contained a description of the van following the school bus. The person who I said was her father never wanted to admit to it, she said. "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.". Today marks 38 years since 8-year-old Cherrie Mahan disappeared in Butler County. After KDKA's report of a new revelation from Cherrie's mother, KDKA's John Shumway reports police received dozens of new tips. Tipsters can remain anonymous. Two months after she vanished, the family raised $39,000 for any information about Mahan's whereabouts. She was declared Shortly thereafter, they donated the $58,000 reward fund to the National Center family sought this action so that a trust fund in Cherries name could be Unfortunately, none of the tips were deemed to be credible. Many believed that Tara Calico was kidnapped near her home in Belen, New Mexico. . Girl", "Cherrie Mahan Missing: Penn. Its very Cherrie, circa 1985; Age-progression to age 44 (circa 2020); Sketches of van possibly involved. Before leaving Calico told her mother to come find her if she wasnt home by noon since she had made plans with her boyfriend at 12:30 that afternoon. He told police that they lived together amicably but on the same day as her disappearance Lisa filed a court order to have him removed from their home. 2nd annual 'Restaurant Ramble' features 10 downtown New Kensington eateries, New Kensington woman accused of letting toddler eat pot-laced candy to stand trial, Woman accused of punching Allegheny Valley Hospital guard, biting second one arrested on felony charges, Multiple felony charges filed against Cheswick man accused of being serial shoplifter at Walmart, Feds announce 57 arrests in Operation Lake Effect bust of fentanyl, meth ring, Tom Sizemore, Saving Private Ryan actor, dies after brain aneurysm, TV Talk: Mel Brooks History of the World, Part II belatedly arrives on Hulu, Models strut the runway with their canines for the Bark and Swagger Dog Fashion Show, Caf Momentum Pittsburgh offers 2nd chance to those exiting juvenile facilities, Western Pennsylvania's trusted news source, From 2020: Cherrie Mahan's mysterious disappearance haunts her mother 35 years later, From 2014: Investigation continues in case of Cherrie Mahan, missing for decades, From 2005: Girl's disappearance remains a mystery 20 years later. "I just wish someone would come forth and tell me what happened," Janice McKinney said through tears. Letters and posters were sent to every television station and He didnt answer his phone the rest of the weekend, eventually missing a flight to Miami that had been long planned with his girlfriend. The terrain around her home was extensively searched with the assistance of bloodhounds and helicopters, and investigators conducted house to house inquiries. The travesty of decades-long missing person cases is that the family cannot even deal with the persons estate and belongings until they are declared dead. She's still missing. Law enforcement officials made contact with the woman, who denied she was the missing girl. He said he doesnt want to speculate whether Mahans disappearance was caused by someone who knew her. [34] In 2000, a computer-generated rendition of how Mahan may have looked at age 23 was mailed to thousands of households across America. Maurer added that he appreciates the media keeping the story alive for the families and communities, as well as helping with the investigation. Cherrie Mahan. Trp. Investigative Agency: Pennsylvania State Police, Troop D, Butler Station at (724) 284-8100 or Pennsylvania State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation, Missing Persons Unit at (717) 783-5524. Their last time being seen in public was while they were being arrested by former Collier County Sheriff's deputy Corporal Steve Calkins. Subscribe to WTAE . Many presumed him dead immediately. The van was following the school bus Cherrie had been riding in. This woman is one of many who disappeared while taking a cruise to a foreign land. Her husband had last seen her April 30 at 6 pm. On 22 February, 1985, 8-year-old Cherrie Mahan hopped off her school bus in Winfield Township,. February 19, 2020 / 7:48 PM [21] Burk was the last individual to see Mahan. "It's like your heart has been snapped half and it will never go back together again," she says. At this event, stories and memories of Cherrie are shared. Death and dying is something I know about, she said. While she waits for answers, McKinney said she's made her peace. kept saying, My little girls gone. [n 3] The van would later be described as a 1970s-era Dodge (possibly a 1976 model[20]) with a distinctive mural depicting a skier traversing a snowcapped mountain painted on the side. At just 20-months old Ayla Reynolds went missing in 2011. List Enthusiast. ", Download the WPXI News App for the latest investigations from Target 11, Last summer, McKinney received a handwritten letter detailing who killed her daughter, why they did itand where her body could be found. 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. Cherrie was last seen getting off of her school bus 37 years ago. [31], When no significant leads developed and the child had been missing for three months,[32] a national direct mailing company printed a photograph of Mahan on postcards accompanied by the question, "Have you seen me?" 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. At the time, many believed that Philip had been kidnapped by a bad man who lured him into the back of his vehicle using candy. When his brother arrived back in Townsville he called his girlfriend and family. 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. There is only one similar story of a child being murdered in Ireland, that of Robert Holohan in January 2005. These detectives officially determined his death a kidnapping and murder. Per Jamie: this article says the police are looking into a theory that Cherrie Mahan, an eight-year-old girl who was abducted from her bus stop in 1985, may be alive and living in Michigan. There are so many missing people that agencies exist just to help find and fund efforts to find some of these people. to Cherrie or her disappearance. The letter, signed by someone calling themselves Pastor Justice, ended: "I pray you find some peace after you find her body.". [7], 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. based on something somebody claimed to have seen around the time of Cherries Eight-year-old Cherrie Mahan's disappearance on February 22, 1985 in Pennsylvania was a particularly frightening version of this . Oil City police officer injured during arrest of assault suspect in Venango County. I just pray all the time that they would find it in their heart to just tell somebody, she said. "[43], Mahan's mother, Janice McKinney, has stated her conviction her daughter's disappearance can still be solved. This station is part of Cox Media Group Television. John Shumway went back to the state police today about Cherrie's biological father. There are middle-aged people, teenaged people, and even babies and toddlers that have, and continue to be, missing. After that, she has been neither seen nor. Pittsburgh Post-Gazettereports Janice McKinney addressed the court, saying, "This is not over. On February 22, 1985, Cherrie Mahan got off of her school bus only blocks from her home. He was running up and down the road He Some pieces to the puzzle appear to be falling into place here just days away from the 35th anniversary of the crime. Instead, Amy stayed on the ship with her brother and took in a show then stayed out until the wee hours partying together. 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. Cherrie's ears are pierced. "[39], Although existing laws had determined Cherrie Mahan could have been declared legally dead seven years after her disappearance,[n 7] Mahan's mother only petitioned to have her daughter legally declared deceased in 1998.
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