PA PA - Cherrie Ann Mahan, 8, Cabot, 22 Feb 1985 *merged*

[mindys]

This case has been on my mind and in my heart for the last 19 years:


Cherrie Ann Mahan - Missing from Butler, Pennsylvania

At 4:05 P.M. on February 22, 1985,the above described child exited her school bus, in company with three other Students. She had approximately 100 years to walk to her residence, but did not arrive home. When she failed to arrive home, her father immediately began a search with negative results, and then notified the state police. A blue or green van, with a painting on the passenger side with a mountain scene with a skier coming down the mountain, was following the bus. There was also an unaccounted for blue colored car in the area at the time of the disappearance.

Please see Cherrie's picture then and what she may look like now:

http://doenetwork.bravepages.com/255dfpa.html

[mindys]

More, including a slightly different age progression pic, under photo's M-R, click the second picture in the top row from the right:

http://www.operationlookout.org/Missing_Kids/index.htm

[mindys]

Nation's Largest, Most Successful Missing Child Recovery Program Highlighted In Smithsonian Exhibit Honoring America's Postal Workers

. . .

"Also in attendance were Janice McKinney and her son Robert. Janice is the mother of Cherrie Mahan, the first child whose photo was featured on ADVO's missing children cards and who, tragically, remains missing."

http://www.forrelease.com/D20031008/...142.22960.html

[LinnieB]

Mindys
I was just thinking about her the night before last !! I was sitting here with my daughter and we were looking through the missing photo's of people from Pa and I was showing her Cherrie's Photo, I remember this like it was yesterday and I remember that van so clearly !! Thanks for posting this.

[mindys]

Originally Posted by LinnieB

Mindys
I was just thinking about her the night before last !! I was sitting here with my daughter and we were looking through the missing photo's of people from Pa and I was showing her Cherrie's Photo, I remember this like it was yesterday and I remember that van so clearly !! Thanks for posting this.

No, I'll tell You, what's weird, I was just going to PM you and see if you remembered her. Why do we never hear about her locally, even on the anniversary of her disappearance which we just had. Grrrr. Those eyes, her sweet face.

She deserves so much more than to forever to be a cold-case. PLEASE anyone who is reading that has the power and resources, take another look at Cherrie's case.

[LinnieB]

Originally Posted by mindys

No, I'll tell You, what's weird, I was just going to PM you and see if you remembered her. Why do we never hear about her locally, even on the anniversary of her disappearance which we just had. Grrrr. Those eyes, her sweet face.

Wow !!

I know what you mean, For years they would always mention her and the anniversary ...now unfortunately you never hear about her...

I remember I was standing in the kitchen watching t.v that day when she was taken, I was just so shocked that she was soooooooooo close to home...How very sad...Poor baby

I love the age progression photo of her ! Wonderful job they did !

[Richard]

CHERRIE ANN MAHAN Missing: Feb 22, 1985 Cabot, PA

CHERRIE ANN MAHAN
DOB: Aug 14, 1976
Missing: Feb 22, 1985
Age at time: 8
Age Now: 28
Sex: Female
Race: White
Hair: Brown
Eyes: Hazel
Height: 4'2" (127 cm)
Weight: 68 lbs (31 kg)
She has pierced ears
Missing From: CABOT (near PITTSBURGH), PA, United States
Non-Family Abduction

Cherie was last seen getting off the school bus about 100 yards from home on 22 February 1985. At exactly 4:05 PM she turned and waved good-bye to three school mates who had gotten off the bus with her. They waved back and she circled around the bus so that she could get to her driveway. She never made it up the driveway to her house.
One mother was parked in front of the bus, waiting to pick up her child. She happened to look up and see Cherrie in the rearview mirror. She watched Cherrie take a second to straighten her clothing as she got off the bus.
She adjusted her brown Cabbage Patch earmuffs decorated woth long hair, rearranged her blue book bag, which had two straps with a cream-colored top and a blue and red heart. When Cherrie walked out of view, she was wearing a gray coat over a blue denim skirt, blue leg warmers, and ankle high beige boots that her mother had helped her put on that morning.
At that moment, the watching mother got a brief glimpse of a dark green or blue van. On the side of the van was a painting of a large snow-capped mountain. In the middle of the picture was the figure of a skier in a red and yellow ski outfit racing down teh mountain. The mother noticed that the driver of the van was also wearing ski clothes.
Police files indicate that a bright blue 1976 Dodge van with a mural of a mountain and a skier may be involved in her disappearance.

Pennsylvania State Police - Missing Persons Unit

link:
http://www.missingkids.com/missingki...archLang=en_US

[Trino]

It is so unreal that a young girl could disappear so fast within sight of her parent. She could have had her name changed and could have been raised by someone else, but the fact that a ski/mountain scene was on the van seems more of a guy thing. What about Ted Bundy? Did he ever go after kids? As I recall, he killed many young women, some that he had forgotten about.

It's been nearly 20 years since this child disappeared. Just hope that there is someone out there with a conscience.

[Richard]

Actually the mother who last saw Cherrie was the mother of one of the other children who had ridden the bus with her. Cherrie's own mother was waiting for her at the house, just up the driveway. She heard the bus arrive and then leave, and was expecting Cherrie to walk in the door, but she never did.
Ted Bundy by this time was incarcerated in Florida awaiting a date with the electric chair. Most of his victims were young women in their late teens and early 20's. But his last victim was a little girl named Kimberly Leech, who was only 12 years old.

[goneinasecond]

I was born and raised near where this girl went missing. We are the same age and I still remember this when I was a kid. This still haunts me to this day. I hope she isn't forgotton. Here a bump for Cherrie.

[tuppence]

The van sounds so unusual it seems crazy that it was never identified - of course, I'm sure the owner painted it over. Still someone out there must have been familiar with the van. It seems likely it was from out of town.

[CarpeDiem]

Friday marked 23 years. Cherrie's Mom still lives in the area, about 20 minutes away.

http://www.insidebutlercounty.com/in...etail&id=31342

[CarpeDiem]

This link is from 2005 but there are some interesting thoughts in the comments. One was that it could have been a delivery/work (catering?) van. I too think perhaps the eyewitness account may have been a bit off. I also wondered if a search was ever done at the time at Moraine State Park, which is vast with not much action in February. BIG lake there too and it's not all that far from the abduction scene. There was and still are alot of rural areas in Butler County, PA which is about a half-hour North of Pittsburgh and an hour south of Erie, PA. A half hour to the west is the Ohio border.

http://users.1st.net/mwells/CherrieMahan.htm

I've ALWAYS thought, who could forget that child's eyes? So precious.

[pittsburghgirl]

There are not only rivers and lakes in Western Pa, but many old strip mines that are deep and full of water. It would be very easy to sink a vehicle in one of them. But it takes a local to know where they are.

What is weird about the van is that there were NO sightings of it locally. The pictures of the van were on the news and in the papers; people were actively looking for it. How could you hide such a thing? If you owned it, why wouldn't you come forward? The road involved is not a superhighway or a main thoroughfare, where one might expect lots of non-local traffic.

[pittsburghgirl]

I got to thinking about that last point and went to Google Maps. I couldn't make a link work to what I found, but you can see it if you go to Google Maps and type Cornplanter and Winfield Road Cabot PA.

There is a short and direct access to the north to Rt 422, which connects directly to I-79 North to Erie or I-79 South to West Virginia. You can also continue and access the Pa and Ohio turnpikes. There is also a direct route south to Rt 28, which has an exit that is 2 miles away from the the Allegheny Valley exit on the PA turnpike (I-76) , from which point a van could go west or east. No EZ Pass or cameras to see the van in those days. You could also go east on 422 and through the mountains up into the Allegheny National Forest and into southern New York, where there are several ski areas. That would take about 3 hours but much of it is very rural and soon enough it would have been getting dark and people would be home and inside. Ski areas to the north, the east (Seven Springs) and the south.

Weirdly, the spot where is almost a perfect spot from which to kidnap a child; if you are pretty sure you can get an hour's jump, you can be in Ohio or the PA mountains or halfway to Erie before anyone starts to look.

You can best see what I mean if you put the little focus thingy halfway down in order to see the intersection in relation to other WPA road. I've lived here all my life and always thought of Cabot as so rural, and such a weird spot for a kidnapping. But I'm sure the state troopers that handled the case thought about this location long ago.

[CarpeDiem]

You're totally right about the area pittsburghgirl. By the time the cops got to the scene it was too late. No internet yet then or Cable News, though it wouldn't be long. Cherrie was the first child pictured in those cards we all get in the mail of Missing Children.

That van probably sat in a garage for many years. By the time it came out, it wasn't recognizable.

It really gets me how this was the only time Cherrie had been allowed to walk up the driveway herself, and she never made it.

I hope we find out what happened someday, soon:

http://www.missingkids.com/missingki...archLang=en_US

[tybee204]

Dicussion thread

01-31-2005, 11:02 AM
Usher737
Registered User Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 39

This is terrible but I think the lack of attention is due to belief in a terrible rumor that started about 6 months after she vanished. Police believed but could not prove that the step-father sold her to someone who took her overseas.

I personally do not believe this or have heard any kind of proof about this. Other than the van there is no clues as to who took her.


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#9 01-31-2005, 11:26 AM
Jeana (DP)
Moderator Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Texas
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Richard
Actually the mother who last saw Cherrie was the mother of one of the other children who had ridden the bus with her. Cherrie's own mother was waiting for her at the house, just up the driveway. She heard the bus arrive and then leave, and was expecting Cherrie to walk in the door, but she never did.
Ted Bundy by this time was incarcerated in Florida awaiting a date with the electric chair. Most of his victims were young women in their late teens and early 20's. But his last victim was a little girl named Kimberly Leech, who was only 12 years old.


Absolutely horrifying for this parent! I took a year off not too long ago to see if my kids and I would like it better than me working (we did not, so I went back part time after that year). Anyway, they rode the bus home from school, so I'd go out and wait for the bus and walk them home. I was the ONLY parent there. Shocking!!!!!
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#10 02-01-2005, 09:59 AM
goneinasecond
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--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Quote:
Originally Posted by Usher737
This is terrible but I think the lack of attention is due to belief in a terrible rumor that started about 6 months after she vanished. Police believed but could not prove that the step-father sold her to someone who took her overseas.

I personally do not believe this or have heard any kind of proof about this. Other than the van there is no clues as to who took her.


I was a child myself when this happened. My mother and I were talking about this the other night and she remembered the rumors. She said she believed the parents did it. She couldn't remember why though. Thats when I came here looking for information about her. Its sad to hear these rumors if they aren't true.............. but in today's day nothing seems too far fetched.

I sent her information to the Pittsburgh local tv channels. I sent them a link and told them her 20 yr mark is coming up Feb. 22. I doubt they will touch on it but we can always hope right.
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#11 02-01-2005, 12:41 PM
Richard
Registered User Join Date: Sep 2004
Posts: 262

The Van

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Quote:
Originally Posted by tuppence
The van sounds so unusual it seems crazy that it was never identified - of course, I'm sure the owner painted it over. Still someone out there must have been familiar with the van. It seems likely it was from out of town.


The Pennsylvania State Police made composite sketches of the Van seen near the site of Cherrie's disappearance. The van appears to be a 1974-76 Dodge cargo van, dark green or blue in color, which was somewhat "converted" with a small porthole type window in the rear side. A snowy mountain scape was painted on the side. Just forward of the rear tire (left side shown) is a painting of a skiier in red and yellow clothing racing downhill. The watching mother stated that the driver was also wearing ski clothing.


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#12 02-03-2005, 04:29 AM
meggilyweggily
Registered User Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Arkansas some times of the year, Ohio other times
Posts: 48


It seems to me like Cherrie's abduction was not a random thing. I don't think the perpetrator necessarily knew her, but I think he stalked her for days or weeks before he kidnapped her. I don't think anyone could just "happen along" and grab her in such a rural area, when she was so close to home.


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#13 02-03-2005, 10:21 AM
goneinasecond
Registered User Join Date: Jan 2005
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does anyone know if the parents were ruled out?
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#14 02-03-2005, 01:30 PM
Usher737
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The mother was but I do not think the step father was.


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#15 02-21-2005, 12:12 PM
goneinasecond
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bumping for Cherrie

seen her on the news this morning. I hope that my email to the local stations helped in some way.

its been 20 yrs tommorrow
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#16 Yesterday, 02:05 PM
prncssq8
Registered User Join Date: Feb 2005
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Quote:
Originally Posted by goneinasecond
I was a child myself when this happened. My mother and I were talking about this the other night and she remembered the rumors. She said she believed the parents did it. She couldn't remember why though. Thats when I came here looking for information about her. Its sad to hear these rumors if they aren't true.............. but in today's day nothing seems too far fetched.

I sent her information to the Pittsburgh local tv channels. I sent them a link and told them her 20 yr mark is coming up Feb. 22. I doubt they will touch on it but we can always hope right.

I lived 10 minutes away from where it happened. I was 8 years old when it happened. I remember everything. I would never rule out her mother and step father. They seem genuine but her mother spent the next days in the bars and it was rumored that her step father was talking to a guy in the area about how little kids were worth a lot of money.


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#17 Yesterday, 04:05 PM
goneinasecond
Registered User Join Date: Jan 2005
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I was 7 years old when this happened and remember it vividly. I hope and pray they didn't hurt that little girl. I have the same feeling about the mother. When I seen her on the news last night I got the feeling she wasn't genuine at all. I heard the same rumor as you. I'm about 20 minutes from where she was from.
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#18 Yesterday, 11:40 PM
meggilyweggily
Registered User Join Date: Feb 2005
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I don't think you should trash Cherrie's parents like that. They have not been named as suspects, nor have I seen any indication from authorities that her disappearance is anything other than an abduction. Think how Cherrie's mom and stepdad would feel reading this, if they were innocent.
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#19 Today, 10:29 AM
goneinasecond
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your right, if they are innocent. I have full respect for the INNOCENT.


everyone entilted to their own opinion. Even if you don't agree.
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#20 Today, 01:17 PM
Jeana (DP)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by meggilyweggily
I don't think you should trash Cherrie's parents like that. They have not been named as suspects, nor have I seen any indication from authorities that her disappearance is anything other than an abduction. Think how Cherrie's mom and stepdad would feel reading this, if they were innocent.


We've never felt it was a good idea for family members to read these forums. Our posters rarely mean any harm by what they post, but we ARE here to discuss everything - the good, the bad and the ugly. Let's allow posters to do so.
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#21 Today, 01:20 PM
Usher737
Registered User Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 39

I can not believe it has been 20 years. Most newspapers and television stations in the Pittsburgh area did cover her story yesterday!


I think it is ok to talk about ALL possibilities in this case but in the new discussion thread. This is information and support so in case family members come here to read.

Discussion can be a very good thing; generate ideas, compare notes, etc.. It could even bring new information to light!


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#22 Today, 01:25 PM
Usher737
Registered User Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 39

Also, PA state police got a new lead! Someone reported the name of someone who owned a van like the one described at that time. They were going to look into it but said would probably be a dead end.

I personally think the van is the key to cracking the case wide open!


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#23 Today, 01:55 PM
goneinasecond
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Lets just hope this time this new lead turns out to find this child. All we can do is hope.

On a positive note on the parents....... They donated over 50,000 to the missing childrens network to help in aid for other missing children back in 1996.

Also if these parents were busy selling their kid why did they wait 13 yrs to declair her dead when they could of in 7 yrs if they wanted money so badly. She had money in a trust fund because of a car accident. When they did declair her dead they took her money and put it into a trust for her younger brother. Just something to think about...... I'll remember this girls picture for the rest of my life.
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[Usher737]

Just speculating: If they needed cash right away so the parents sold her, then they did not need the cash from Cherrie's savings account and their guilt made them wait and then give it to the brother.

Also possible the step-father acted alone.

I just find it odd that this blue van picked her bus to follow which happened to lead to an isolated road with only 1 parent at the stop.

[prncssq8]

I wasn't trying to trash her parents, but unless you lived in that area and you heard everything that the people were saying and how they were reacting you wouldn't understand. I lived in that area. I was in the area when it happened. My school bus was followed by police cars for the next three or four weeks after the kidnapping. I go past her driveway now and still get chills. Cherrie's life is and was precious and the bottom line is something or someone took that away from her. The truth is deserved. I simply stated that I feel the mom and step dad know more than they are leading on. Agreed that IF they had nothing to do with it then I whole heartedly apologize. But I can't get rid of the "gut" feeling I have. There are always two sides of the story. I apologize if I offended anyone, but again we are all entitled to our opinions.

[bykerladi]

*bump* Its been a while - any new news?

[Richard]

This Cold case is just over 22 years old. There is a discussion forum about it in several other forums, but I felt that it would be of interest here as well.


-------------------------------------------
CHERRIE ANN MAHAN

DOB: Aug 14, 1976
Missing: Feb 22, 1985
Age at time: 8
Age Now: 28
Sex: Female
Race: White
Hair: Brown
Eyes: Hazel
Height: 4'2" (127 cm)
Weight: 68 lbs (31 kg)
She has pierced ears
Missing From: CABOT (near PITTSBURGH), PA, United States
Non-Family Abduction

Cherie was last seen getting off the school bus about 100 yards from home on 22 February 1985. At exactly 4:05 PM she turned and waved good-bye to three school mates who had gotten off the bus with her.

They waved back and she circled around the bus so that she could get to her driveway. She never made it up the driveway to her house.

One mother was parked in front of the bus, waiting to pick up her child. She happened to look up and see Cherrie in the rearview mirror. She watched Cherrie take a second to straighten her clothing as she got off the bus.

She adjusted her brown Cabbage Patch earmuffs decorated woth long hair, rearranged her blue book bag, which had two straps with a cream-colored top and a blue and red heart. When Cherrie walked out of view, she was wearing a gray coat over a blue denim skirt, blue leg warmers, and ankle high beige boots that her mother had helped her put on that morning.

At that moment, the watching mother got a brief glimpse of a dark green or blue van. On the side of the van was a painting of a large snow-capped mountain. In the middle of the picture was the figure of a skier in a red and yellow ski outfit racing down teh mountain. The mother noticed that the driver of the van was also wearing ski clothes.

Police files indicate that a bright blue 1976 Dodge van with a mural of a mountain and a skier may be involved in her disappearance.

Pennsylvania State Police - Missing Persons Unit

link:
http://www.missingkids.com/missingki...archLang=en_US

---------------------------------------------

From the Doenetwork files:

Cherrie Ann Mahan

Missing since February 22, 1985 from Cabot, Butler County, Pennsylvania.
Classification: Non-Family Abduction
Vital Statistics
Date Of Birth: August 14, 1976
Age at Time of Disappearance: 8 years old
Height and Weight at Time of Disappearance: 4'2; 68 pounds
Distinguishing Characteristics: White female. Brown hair; hazel eyes.
Marks, Scars: She has pierced ears. She has a dog bite scar on her left arm. The same arm was previously broken below her left shoulder; the injury had healed by the time of her disappearance.
Clothing: She was last seen wearing a gray coat; denim skirt; blue leg warmers; and beige boots.

Circumstances of Disappearance
Mahan was last seen exiting the bus from her elementary school approximately 100 yards from her family's home in Cabot, Pennsylvania on February 22, 1985. She has never been seen again. A bright blue or green Dodge van with a mountain and skier mural on both sides of the vehicle may be involved in Mahan's abduction.

Investigators
If you have any information concerning Mahan's whereabouts, please contact:
Pennsylvania State Police
Missing Persons Unit
412-284-8100

You may remain anonymous when submitting information to any agency.

NCIC Number: M-147906762
Please refer to this number when contacting any agency with information regarding this case.

Source Information:
The National Center For Missing and Exploited Children
Charley Project
Doe Network

LINKS:
http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/255dfpa.htmlCHERRIE

[Paradise]

I think this was on Unsolved Mysteries, I sort of remember seeing a van with a mountain mural painted on the side of it on an episode.

[Marilynilpa]

This one is interesting to me, as I live in Pittsburgh which is quite close to Butler County.

Isn't it amazing how a child can get off a school bus and just vanish within yards of home? We've seen this time and time again.

It seems like the van would have been a great clue to follow, and I would imagine law enforcement looked long and hard for such a van.

I'll see what I can find out about the police investigation into the van, and perhaps see what other clues they looked into.

Thanks, Richard, for another intriguing case.

[flying-k]

Originally Posted by Marilynilpa

This one is interesting to me, as I live in Pittsburgh which is quite close to Butler County.

Isn't it amazing how a child can get off a school bus and just vanish within yards of home? We've seen this time and time again.

It seems like the van would have been a great clue to follow, and I would imagine law enforcement looked long and hard for such a van.

I'll see what I can find out about the police investigation into the van, and perhaps see what other clues they looked into.

Thanks, Richard, for another intriguing case.

Good Evening,

I joined this site to relay the following information. I know the van - I saw it for many, many years. I reported this to the Pennsylvania State Police via phone and I never heard back from them - what a waste of time. I know the neighborhood where the van resided; if it were registered, it would be easy to find out whos it is.

From what little I have gathered, I can't tell from this site if anyone aggressively pursues these kinds of leads but I have contacted some agencies and I have not heard back from a one.

The van I saw was a late 70's early 80's light blue-grey Dodge or Chevy (possibly with a custom bubble window in the rear) painted with a skier in bright red with dark sunglesses (with something or other that obscured the face) in a mountain scene painted on the passenger side; I'm not sure about the driver side. I saw this van pass by my house every work day as I was waiting for the school bus while I atteded middle school (between1984-1987) - When I went to another school, I no longer waited for the bus and never noticed the van thereafter. I thought I saw the van in the area years later, but it had been primered and not painted. The van would travel westbound on Green Ave. Poydras, LA and turn right towards New Orleans as if going to work. Anyone doing a Google search of this area will notice the neighborhood to the east is not big at all.

I have found sketches of the van online and the similarities are almost dead on with the exception that the skier was further to the back and was not painted on the door - and I remember the van having a spare tire cover in the back.

I found out about the Cherie Mahan case by chance on CNN a few months ago.

I am very dissapointed that PSP never called me back so I am trying to relay this information to any interested party.

Please feel free to contact me with any questions,

Flying K

[Starlight]

Cherrie Mahan's case is one of the cases profiled on my web site also, and can be seen at http://users.1st.net/mwells/CherrieMahan.htm

http://users.1st.net/mwells/StarlightInnerPrizes.htm