Account
Jul 15, 2009
Jun 28, 2022
Cherrie
Mahan
47
8
40 inches
68 lbs
White / Caucasian
Female
On February 22, 1985, a cold winter day in rural Winfield Township, Pennsylvania, eight-year-old Cherrie Ann Mahan stepped off her school bus, excited for a weekend playdate with a friend. It was approximately 4:10 p.m. when she, along with three other students, disembarked at the bus stop on Cornplanter Road, just a short walk of about 100 to 150 yards from her family's home. Cherrie was wearing a gray coat, a blue denim skirt, blue leg warmers, beige boots, and distinctive Cabbage Patch earmuffs. Tragically, in the brief moments it took to walk up the driveway, she vanished. Her mother and stepfather grew worried when she didn't arrive home after ten minutes and, after a quick search, they contacted the police. The investigation into Cherrie's disappearance quickly focused on a suspicious vehicle that had been seen in the area. Witnesses reported seeing a bright blue or green 1976 Dodge van with a unique and vivid mural of a snow-capped mountain and a skier on its side. This van was allegedly following the school bus Cherrie had been on. Despite extensive searches and thousands of leads pursued by the Pennsylvania State Police over the years, neither Cherrie nor the distinctive van have ever been found. Her case gained national attention, becoming one of the first to be featured on the "Have You Seen Me?" direct mail campaign and on milk cartons across the country. Over the years, several women have come forward claiming to be Cherrie, but all have been proven false. Years turned into decades, and the search for answers has been a long and painful journey for Cherrie's family. In 1998, at her mother's request, Cherrie was declared legally dead. However, her mother, Janice McKinney, has never given up hope of finding out what happened to her daughter. The case has seen renewed interest and investigative efforts in recent years, with private investigators getting involved and offering substantial rewards for information. Searches have been conducted in various locations based on new leads, including the use of cadaver dogs. The investigation remains active, with authorities continuing to look into persons of interest and new tips, including correspondence with a prison inmate who claims to have information about the case. The disappearance of Cherrie Mahan remains a haunting and unsolved mystery, a stark reminder of a young life cut short and a family's enduring quest for closure.
Feb 22, 1985
Cabot
Pennsylvania
Butler County
No
25832
Pennsylvania State Police
Butler
Pennsylvania
Butler County
16001
Troop D, Butler Station, Pennsylvania
7242848100
State
Law Enforcement
D1-326871
Pennsylvania State Police
7399
Brown
Hazel
Hazel
No
05/12/2026
