WKRN News 2

Mother believes children are still alive 10 years after their disappearance

SHELBYVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — A decade after then 9-year-old Chloie Leverette and then 7-year-old Christopher “Gage” Daniel disappeared, their mother, Cheryl Daniel still holds out hope they’re alive.

Chloie and her brother, Gage were believed to have died in a house fire in Bedford County with their grandparents on September 23, 2012, until investigators searched for several days and never found the children’s remains.

Officials confirmed grandparents, Molli and Leon McClaran, the family dog, and a pet bird died in the fire when they discovered their remains. Even though Chloie and Gage were initially thought to have been inside the home too, there were no signs of them among the ash.

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After days of sifting through the rubble, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation issued an AMBER Alert, and 10 years later, Chloie and Gage are still considered missing. Their case remains open.

“It hurts that I have to look at a missing poster picture to see what my children might or might not look like, because you just don’t know,” their mother, Cheryl Daniel said.

Even though officials have not determined the cause of the fire, Daniel believes it was set on purpose and her children were kidnapped.

“They had to kill my mom and dad, there’s no other way they would’ve gotten my children, and they took Chloie and Gage,” Daniel said. Where they took them, I don’t know.”

Investigators have previously told News 2 it would have been impossible for Chloie and Gage to have been in the house during the fire and not have left behind some form of remains, such as teeth.

Daniel said time has not healed her pain, it’s only made it worse. She believes her children are still alive, which is the only thing that keeps her going.

“Chloie and Gage, I have hope and faith that they’ll come home,” Daniel said. “I gave it to the Lord years ago, and I know in his time he’ll bring them home, and I will see them again. I know that.”

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The TBI does not have any new information in the case but is still accepting tips.

If you know anything about Chloie and Gage’s whereabouts or the fire, call the TBI at 1-800-TBI-FIND, or email TipsToTBI@tn.gov.