The mother of Cherrie Mahan, who went missing when she was just eight-years-old almost four decades ago, has slammed a woman who is claiming to be the missing person on social media.
Cherrie, who was born in Pennsylvania, went missing in February 1985 after getting off a school bus which stopped a mere 50 yards from her home.
It was reported that at the time of her disappearance, Cherrie was wearing a grey coat, a blue denim skirt, blue leg warmers, beige boots, and Cabbage Patch earmuffs.
Following the disappearance of Cherrie 39 years ago, her mother Janice Mahan is still alive and hopes to see the return of her daughter one day.
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Earlier this week in a development in the missing person's case, a woman came forward claiming to be missing Cherrie.
The woman, born in the US, posted in the 'Memories of Cherrie Maham' Facebook group, claiming to believe she is the missing youngster.
However, Janice didn't mince her words when speaking out to Butler Eagle, asserting that she thinks it's fake.
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She said: "I truly believe she thought in her mind that she was Cherrie. It did not look anything like Cherrie at all.
"If it was really her, she could present herself at any police office and arrange for a DNA test without reaching out to people online and making aggressive claims.
"If you wanted your 15 minutes of fame, you’ve already blown it."
She added: "People are mean, they are cruel, but this affects me really crazy. It’s gonna be 40 years since Cherrie’s been missing."
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It's understood that Cherrie's family hold an annual remembrance dinner on the anniversary of when she went missing.
The heartbroken mother concluded: "I’ve always felt that she was OK. If she was dead, she is in heaven with my parents and my brothers. If she was alive, someone was taking care of her. I don’t know why I feel that way."
In regards to the case, police have stated they strongly believe there's no family members involved in the disappearance.
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Investigating authorities believed that due to witness statements, Cherrie may have been abducted by the driver of a 1976 Dodge van - which featured the unique design of skier on a mountain painted on the side.
At the time, Mahan's local community raised $39,000 as a reward for Mahan's return, and a local business pledged an additional $10,000 for information leading to an arrest and conviction.
Despite this, police investigated her disappearance for years of with no leads, and Cherrie was declared dead in absentia towards the end of 1998.
In 2011, Pennsylvania police received a 'potentially crucial' tip that suggested Cherrie was unlikely to have survived the abduction.
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After nearly 40 years, Cherrie's family have had to face the reality they'll never see her again.
Kya Buller