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On February 22, 1985, in rural Winfield Township, Pennsylvania, eight-year-old Cherrie Mahan stepped off her school bus at 4:10 p.m. She had only 150 feet to walk home.

She never made it.

Witnesses reported two suspicious vehicles near the stop—a bright blue van with a painted skier mural and a small blue car. In the snow, investigators found tire marks… but no footprints leading up Cherrie’s driveway.

The case became one of Pennsylvania’s most haunting child disappearances—fueling nationwide awareness when Cherrie was chosen as the first missing child featured on National Center for Missing & Exploited Children postcards.

And now—four decades later—new leads, a major reward, and active searches have reignited hope that the truth may finally come out.

In this episode of CRIMERY, we reconstruct the last known moments of Cherrie’s walk home, the vehicles that still haunt the investigation, the anonymous “Pastor Justice” letter, the decades of false claims, and the renewed 2025 push to finally bring Cherrie back to her mother, Janice.

Content advisory: child abduction, violence, and sensitive details involving a missing child case.

If you have information about Cherrie Mahan, contact:
• Pennsylvania State Police Butler Barracks: 724-284-8100
• Pennsylvania Crime Stoppers: 1-800-4PA-TIPS (8477)
You can also email us at crimerypod@gmail.com
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CRIMERY is reported, written, and hosted by Jennifer Novotney. Produced by Timothy Novotney.

Tip line & inquiries: crimerypod@gmail.com

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Legal: Everyone mentioned is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Content may include descriptions of violence. Listener discretion advised.

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