The decades-long search for the whereabouts of Cherrie Mahan, who disappeared from her Winfield Township home at the age of 8 in 1985, took a new turn over the weekend of Sept. 27 and 28.

According to Steve Ridge, the Iowa-based private investigator who took up the search for Cherrie’s whereabouts earlier this year, teams of cadaver dogs have been employed to search an area for the remains.

For confidentiality reasons, Ridge could not reveal the location of the search or how many dogs were involved. However, he did say the location lined up with other leads that he had received throughout the course of his investigation.

“I can confirm that there has been a search using dogs, but we’re not prepared to disclose any more than that at this time,” Ridge said. “We have been receiving informa

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