Shannon Marie Sherrill was 6 when she vanished from her family’s trailer yard in Thorntown, Indiana, on October 5, 1986. She was last seen about 1:30 p.m. while playing hide-and-seek with other children; no one saw her leave the area. Shannon was described as very shy, had a four-inch scar on her abdomen, and was wearing a white sundress with blue trim.

Search efforts included K-9 teams that tracked her scent to a nearby cornfield and a cemetery, but Shannon was never found. Authorities classify the case as a non-family abduction. Over the years investigators followed many leads, including a 2003 hoax in which a woman falsely claimed to be Shannon. David Elliot Penton, a convicted child murderer, has been considered a potential suspect, but no charges have been filed in connection with this disappearance.

The family continues to seek answers and the investigation remains active. If anyone knew Shannon or has information about that afternoon, contact the Thorntown Police Department.