He was reported missing and his father searched for him high and low. She got off the bus with three other children. 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. It was right behind me.". Several witnesses, including her schoolmates, saw Mahan get off the bus and begin walking toward her home, which was approximately 50 yards away. At the time of her disappearance, Lisa Stebic lived with her two children and husband Craig. 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. The Mysterious Disappearance Of Cherrie Mahan Explained - Grunge.com The investigation was highly criticized, but the Aruban police and hundreds of volunteers scoured the nation for her. Now, nearly 26 years after she vanished, the lead investigator says there could be a break in the case. Latest: arielilane; 2 minutes ago; CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT A TIP TO CHANNEL 11NEWS. Both pilots were forced to eject and although his other pilot escaped Arad was captured by the Lebanese Amal. 15 Mysterious Disappearances That'll Never Be Solved - TheRichest This station is part of Cox Media Group Television. . I wish they'd come forward and say something. In addition, Kofluk said, he and Maurer are starting at square one with the old police report, evidence and crime scene information.. They are reviewing some of the files of the case, a voluminous dive into 5,000 typewritten reports, plus notes, attachments, photos and more, said Trooper Max DeLuca, who has been leading the investigation. On August 10, one-year-old Shane Walker disappeared from the same park. The Mysterious Disappearance Of Cherrie Mahan Explained. When the school bus arrived, the two told each other they loved each other before Mahan boarded the bus. 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 couple lived in Winfield Township, Butler County, 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. "I truly believe that there is someone out there that knows exactly what happened," she says. Mahan was then observed to walk past a bluish-green van which had parked near the bus stop[10][n 2][18] and turn a corner to walk the approximately 150-yard uphill driveway to her home. We'll always look for Cherrie. [16] She alighted this bus with three friends at approximately 4:10p.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. for Cherries safe return.3 Local businesses pledged another $10,000 for information Cherrie Mahan's Mother Still Searching 35 Years After Disappearance Watch on Cherrie Mahan's mother is still searching, KDKA's John Shumway reports. 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. Mother still searching for justice 38 years after daughter goes missing He simply had to wait to get his braces removed. The only lead in the investigation that was released reported a van that was near the school bus when the children emerged. Although police continue to run down every tip received, they need something more solid, DeLuca said. 'It's A Torment': Cherrie Mahan's Mother Still Searching 35 Years After Law enforcement and Butlers 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. A thorough search of Butler County was bolstered by an estimated 250 local volunteers, although these searches failed to locate the child. He duly noted the bare facts: Cherrie Mahan was born Aug. 14, 1976. Info soughtAnyone with information on the disappearance of Cherrie Mahan in Winfield Township, Butler County, on Feb. 22, 1985, is asked to contact Pennsylvania Crime Stoppers online with a tip ($5,000 reward), or call Pennsylvania State Police Missing Persons Unit at 724-284-8100, or the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 800-843-5678. He claimed that Santos was polite and cooperative which is why he decided to drop him off. By the mid-1990s, authorities had exhausted all leads, and the case went cold. Pittsburgh Post-Gazettereports Janice McKinney addressed the court, saying, "This is not over. Authorities also confirmed they contacted each person named in the letter and were unable to find any evidence proving they were involved in Mahan's disappearance. "I never left that house without her, we were always together, we grew up together, she was my life," Janice says. Burk was adamant this Dodge van had also followed the school bus, recounting this sighting in April 1985, Burk stated: "I sat in the car and watched the kids get off. Jedesky retired in 2011, and another trooper was assigned to continue investigating Mahan's case. 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 [] 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. The sisters believe Cherries remains are buried somewhere in Butler County. What I hope what people get from this piece is people actually see the pain she's living through," says Trp. She was about 100 to 150 yards down a dirt driveway from her family's home on Cornplanter Road in Cabot, Pennsylvania, when she vanished. It's been a quarter of a century and the cops are nowhere closer to solving the case than they were the day she disappeared. 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. Now, nearly 26 years after she vanished, the lead investigator says there could be a break in the . She just disappeared, he said.2. Although it was confirmed that Mahan rode the bus, exited at the correct stop, and began walking toward her house, nobody witnessed what happened to the girl between the bus stop and her home. The 8-year-old girl disappeared after exiting a school . Morbidology Podcast The article continues below Protect Your KiDs-ABDUCTED CHILD : CHERRIE ANN MAHAN rural community. I truly believe there are people out there who know what happened to Cherrie. Tony would hitchhike and his brother would ride his bicycle. Cherrie Mahan was last seen stepping off a school bus in Winfield Township on Feb. 22, 1985. . Cherrie Mahan Abduction - Facebook But the third-grader did not make it . Police report new lead on long-missing Pa. girl Long will say about suspects: Anybody that was implicated, until we find evidence otherwise, they still would be considered a suspect.. Eventually the FBI was called in to assist in the search yet no clues turned up. Cherrie's family had her declared legally deceased in 1992. based on something somebody claimed to have seen around the time of Cherries Her car remained in the driveway and there was no activity on her credit cards or phone after that night. A distinctive van had been following the school bus and it was theorized whoever was in this van, abducted Cherrie. [21] Burk was the last individual to see Mahan. The team has access to technological resources the state police dont have, Kofluk said. Lisa was also attending counseling at the shelter for battered women. PA PA - Cherrie Mahan, 8, Cabot, 22 Feb 1985 - websleuths.com There were also two other people in the home at the time of Aylas disappearance, her fathers girlfriend and his sister. The terrain around her home was extensively searched with the assistance of bloodhounds and helicopters, and investigators conducted house to house inquiries. Cherrie was last seen getting off of her school bus 37 years ago. Home Mysteries The Disappearance of Cherrie Mahan. Tip could be 'crucial' lead in Cherrie Mahan case - CNN.com 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. Just after midnight a friend of Clints picked them up and returned them to their first bar, the Ugly Tuna Saloona, for their last round. The sisters from Butler County have been psychic sleuthing for decades and continue to be featured in national television programs, including one helping police crack the 2006 murder of Blairsville dentist Dr. John Yelenic. 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. Mahan's first name is phonetically pronounced "Cherry". 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. Law enforcement officials made contact with the woman, who denied she was the missing girl. Since the beginning of humankind, there have been stories told of human beings disappearing mysteriously. Cherrie's ears are pierced. Letters and posters were sent to every television station and Oil City, PA 1 day ago. (CNN) - Cherrie Mahan was 8 years old when she disappeared from her bus stop one day after school in 1985. She was last seen leaving Carlosn Charlies in Oranjestad leaving in a car with three young men who were local in the area. She never made it home. Please enter valid email address to continue. Cherrie Mahan got off her school bus on February 22, 1985, and hasn't been seen since. Tips come in locally, as well as through Pennsylvania Crime Stoppers, which offers a $5,000 reward. I dont think that I ever knew somebody or anybody who knew me had that streak in them to do something this crazy, McKinney said. cherrie mahan suspects - aumyoganayurveda.com The van had a snow-capped mountain and skier mural painted on both sides of the vehicle. To this day nobody has been able to confirm the death. You kiss 'em in the face, you put them in the ground, and you say goodbye. Without photos, for example, police followed up on hundreds of vans with illustrations of mountain scenes, skiers and even some cowboys. . State police in Butler continue their search for Cherrie Mahan, who was last seen at age 8 on Feb. 22, 1985, when she exited her school bus on Cornplanter Road, Winfield Township, Butler County. The state police in butler are waiting for your call. We feel this is the right time and someone is feeling remorse or guilt. "I just wish someone would come forth and tell me what happened," Janice McKinney said through tears. The van was following the school bus Cherrie had been riding in. Pennsylvania, with their 8-year-old daughter,Cherrie Mahan. While she had accepted that her daughter had most likely been We dont give up hope, Kofluk said. Another person saw Cherrie walk past the van which was seen parked at the side If nothing else, shell always be in our hearts, said her mother. alongside around 250 volunteers. The case was never solved but it was picked back up by the Manhattan District Attorneys office in 2010. Law enforcement officials ruled out Mahan's family and friends as suspects via extensive questioning and lie detector tests. After repeatedly calling him Clint and his lady friend waited outside for Shaffer to emerge. Its a unique case in the fact that it happened in an area that is so rural, he said. These psychic detective mediums volunteer their services to families of victims and police. Date of birth: August 14, 1976. The free online system can be searched by coroners, law enforcement officers, and medical examiners. Word of the potential abduction spread quickly throughout the Investigators suspect the cases are linked with the leading theory . However, the little girl seemingly vanished into thin air and was never seen again. Cameron Norris | Cold Cases. Cherrie Mahan: The Mysterious Disappearance - ExclusivesBlog Michigan Police: Woman Is Not Cherrie Mahan, Target 11: Police Seek DNA In Cherrie Mahan Case, New Trooper Assigned To 25-Year-Old Missing Girl Case, 25 Years Later, Search Continues For Missing Girl, Pittsburgh woman missing for more than 30 years found alive in Puerto Rico, Bank accidentally left unlocked in Fresno, police say, Family of local teacher left with brain injury from car crash searching for healthcare options, Crafton man accused of sexually assaulting 11-year-old girl at playground, Video shows man arrested by heavy police presence outside hotel in Downtown Pittsburgh. But she does not believe he was involved in her disappearance? In a strange and elaborate tale, Calkins explained that he had dropped both men off at Circle K convenience stores. We grew up together. Now, Birckbichler is an 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. I made sure Cherrie had walked past the car, then I drove away. Friends and family gather around Janice McKinney, the mother of Cherrie Mahan, at the base of her former driveway where the 8-year-old girl was reportedly abducted in 1985. Hello world! . 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. 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. 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. Cherrie Mahan disappeared in 1985 after hopping off her school bus. 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 . This is not over. In the day before the minor car accident where she was last seen Murray was acting emotionally and erratically. Cary Shaffer/Butler Eagle Cary Shaffer [9] 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. As reported by Chilling Crimes, Janice became pregnant with her daughter when she was raped as a teen. In 1985, an eight-year-old girl named Cherrie Mahan seemingly vanished off the face of the Earth. It was like the Earth opened up and she fell in, said her Though nobody witnessed her actual abduction many saw a truck with a camper shell following her on her ride. Patch earmuffs, blue leg warmers and a denim skirt. Cherrie Mahan is still missing a total of 30 years after the initial disappearance. What happened to Cherrie Mahan? Episode #66: Cherrie Ann Mahan - Missing (1985) Within weeks, up to 250 people and several helicopters were scanning the region for Mahan or the van that was seen on the corner. [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. Cherrie Mahan - The Charley Project Blog [37], A further line of inquiry investigators pursued dates from 2014, when investigators pursued a tip that Mahan was alive and living under an assumed name in Michigan. ", Although Cherrie Mahan was declared legally dead, her family refused to hold a funeral service. [33][n 6] Lacking any conclusive evidence to the contrary, investigators have not discounted the possibility Mahan may still be alive. Cherrie Mahan's mother still searching for answers. The woman had packed her boxes and taken the art off the walls. This has helped to find some of the people who mysteriously disappeared in the country. In 1987 the government did receive proof that Arad was alive, but negotiation talks eventually failed in 1988. The big news is Cherrie's mother says she believes she knows who took her. Possibly involved in her disappearance was a bright blue, or blue-green 1976 Dodge van with a . Just read another article about it this morning that said that. NONFAMILY ABDUCTED CHILD CHERRIE ANN MAHAN AGE PROGRESSION DOB : Aug-14-1976 Date Missing : Feb-22-1985 Age : 26 years Height : 4' 2" - 127 cm Weight . Oil City police officer injured during arrest of assault suspect in Venango County. In 2014, Target 11 traveled to Michigan to investigate a tip that Cherrie was alive and living under another name. 25-year-old case of Cherrie Mahan lends hope to others Louise was the youngest of three children. She cited him as cruel, domineering, and verbally abusive. of the road. Cheri Jo Bates & The Zodiac Killer Morbidology On Feb. 22, 1985 she got off her bus along Cornplanter Road in the town of Cabot. When she failed to arrive home, her stepfather went looking for her and called police when he failed to find her. As reported by 11 News, the tipster said she saw the mysterious van and a girl matching Mahan's description in Michigan in the weeks after the girl vanished. Both men were last seen handcuffed driving away in the back of Calkins squad car. There could be several explanations for Mahan's disappearance, but law enforcement officials believe she was kidnapped and taken out of the region. 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. Subscribe to WTAE . 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. about Cherrie. The mother was allegedly raped and conceived Cherrie. One of the main suspects in the murder in the infamous Zodiac Killer. Whatever happened to her occurred during the walk to her house, police said. Psychic sisters Suzzanne and Jean Vincent will be going to Cornplanter Road on Wednesday to the site where Cherrie Mahan was abducted 33 years ago. Cherrie Mahan's disappearance hits 38-year mark - wtae.com Today marks 38 years since 8-year-old Cherrie Mahan disappeared in Butler County. Cherrie Mahan's mysterious disappearance haunts her mother 35 years 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. Theres nothing to point the finger of suspicion at anybody. Thirty-five years after her daughter 8-year-old Cherrie Mahan got off her school bus in rural Butler County and disappeared, Janice McKinney can tell you time does not heal the wound. I just love learning new things, interesting facts, mind-boggling lists and obscure knowledge every day! Cherrie was known to be a cheerful little girl. No arrests have ever been made in her case and no suspects have been identified in the case. Cherrie's case has never been solved. We almost hit Leroy. The story of her disappearance was also reported on CNN in January 2011 because of possible new evidence, but this evidence was never released. But they are trying. Eyes: Hazel. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. The fliers also contained a description of the van following the school bus. Cherrie Ann Mahan - The Charley Project "You can never move on until you forgive, and I have forgiven," she said. 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. 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. Do you have any information about Cherie Mahan? personal computer for volunteers to keep track of addresses. 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. According to Morbidology, authorities also launched a national campaign to print her photos and a description of the van on grocery products. This was the first time that a missing child was put on a milk carton. He was under the impression that she got a ride to her job since her phone and purse were gone. [12], In January 2011, Pennsylvania police received a new tip they deemed as "potentially crucial to the investigation in the future". In 1994, they learned the man had abducted and killed one child and attempted to abduct another. However, none of their efforts led to any new or useful information. 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. 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 his brother arrived back in Townsville he called his girlfriend and family. The short walk should have only taken a few minutes but Cherrie Murray also conducted online research and made bookings at hotels in various areas on the east coast. She was only eight-years-old when she disappeared. The Disappearance of Cherrie Mahan - TPKs Stories Cherrie has a dog bite scar on her left arm. McKinney said the father knew a biker gang she felt was dangerous, but she doesnt know if they were violent. The women believe that there were two men involved in Cherries abduction. The mission went awry when a bomb exploded prematurely which damaged the aircraft. By April, neighbours and family had raised $39,000 as a reward Friends Gather To Remember Cherrie Mahan Cherrie Mahan. She was walking to get on the school bus and was only fifty feet from her house when she seems to have simply disappeared. After KDKA's report of a new. On 22 February, 1985, 8-year-old Cherrie Mahan hopped off her school bus in Winfield Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania. Theyll want to get it off their chest., 2023 Trib Total Media | All Rights Reserved, Courtesy of National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, An age progression of Cherrie Mahan, who went missing in 1985. She stayed up drinking until the middle of the night with the cruise ship band and then went back to her room. State Police Ask People With Information About Cherrie Mahan's From 2020: Cherrie Mahan's mysterious disappearance haunts her mother 35 years later It is unknown if the car has anything to do with her case either. This young woman was celebrating her high school graduation with friends in Aruba in 2005. [33] Three months earlier, she had donated the $50,000 reward sum for information leading to the safe return of her daughter to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Let her walk." Trying to find information about this case is frustrating at best. . Cherrie was officially declared dead in November 1998. bus and heading down the hill towards her driveway. They combed through the farmland and fields They questioned friends, too, and some of them fell away. There were no license plate readers or home surveillance cameras at the time. Although the circumstances were difficult, Janice formed a close bond with her daughter, and the publication described their relationship as "extremely close." January 2011. Shortly before her disappearance, Mahan had received a broken arm after being hit by a car. Using investigative research combined with primary audio, Morbidology takes an in-depth look at true crime cases from all across the world. Cherrie was the first child to be featured on mailers sent out by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. State police welcomed two investigators from Team Adam of the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children to the Butler station last week. Then in 2015, cadaver dogs descended on a Winfield property She fell asleep first on the balcony before waking up around 5:30 am to have a cigarette. According toActive Missing People, authorities also ruled out kidnapping for ransom, as the family never received any ransom demands. The Disappearance of Cherrie Mahan By Emily G. Thompson. Mother still searching for justice 38 years after daughter goes missing State police seek information on girl last seen in Butler in 1985 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. Cherrie Mahan - Top podcast episodes Cherrie Mahan was 8 years old when she disappeared from her bus stop one day after school in 1985. "[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. In 2011, Rebecca Coriam disappeared from a Disney cruise ship. A suspect, arrestee, or defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Because of this, his first trial went to retrial. 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. On February 22, 1985, Cherrie Mahan got off of her school bus only blocks from her home. This figure has since greatly increased. Cherrie, circa 1985; Age-progression to age 44 (circa 2020); Sketches of van possibly involved. Cherrie was last seen getting off the school bus 150 yards from her home in Saxonburg, PA, on February 22, 1985. Cherrie Mahan | Unsolved Mysteries Wiki | Fandom