Up and Vanished Weekly: PREVIEW – Missing Mother and Daughter

Podcast: Up and Vanished Weekly
Host: Maggie Freleng
Release Date: October 24, 2025

Episode Overview

This sneak peek introduces the tragic and puzzling case of Joanna Clark and her daughter Cherise, who both vanished in Baltimore, Maryland in early 2017. Host Maggie Freleng walks listeners through the timeline of their disappearance, highlighting the unsettling details that caught the attention of family, friends, and eventually, the police. The episode sets the scene for a deep dive into the complexities and challenges behind missing persons cases, inviting the audience to join the investigative journey.

Key Discussion Points and Timeline

The Disappearance

• Joanna Clark’s Absence at Work

  • [00:12] Maggie lays out the initial red flag: "It's Tuesday, February 7, 2017, in Baltimore, Maryland. Employees of Goetz's Candy Company begin filing into work. Noticeably absent is a 33 year old worker and mother of seven, Joanna Clark. It's the second shift in a row that she has missed which catches the attention of Joanna's aunt who also works at the warehouse across town."
  • Notable: Family members immediately sense something is wrong, showing Joanna’s reliable character and close ties to her family and workplace.

• Cherise Clark Missing from School

  • [00:34] "The bell rings at Dr. Carter Godwin Woodson Middle School where Joanna's daughter, 15 year old Cherise Clark is enrolled. However, as students take their seats, Cherise is not in attendance. It's her second absence in two days."
  • Important detail: Both mother and daughter have now missed two days in a row—a dual disappearance that heightens concern.

• Welfare Check at Home

  • [00:48] Maggie outlines how Joanna’s friend Jessica Watson becomes involved: "Later that day, longtime friend of Joanna, Jessica Watson, pulls into the South Baltimore apartment complex Joanna and her children called home. She is there to perform a welfare check after speaking to family members concerned with Joanna's absence from work."
  • Jessica discovers Joanna’s younger children at home, under the care of a teenage son of Joanna’s ex-boyfriend.

• Reporting the Disappearances

  • [01:14] "He informs Jessica that neither Joanna nor Cherise had been seen since Saturday. Surprised by this news, Jessica calls the police and reports Joanna and Cherise as missing."

• Lingering Mystery

  • [01:28] Maggie wraps the preview with unresolved tension: "Weeks later, when the two fail to reappear, their family is left wondering what happened to this young mother and her teenage daughter."

Notable Quotes and Moments

• On the initial alarm:

  • Maggie Freleng [00:14]:

    "It's the second shift in a row that she has missed which catches the attention of Joanna's aunt who also works at the warehouse across town."
    Highlighting quick family intervention.

• On the escalating concern:

  • Maggie Freleng [00:49]:

    "She is there to perform a welfare check after speaking to family members concerned with Joanna's absence from work."
    Demonstrating a network of care and concern among Joanna’s circle.

• On the chilling discovery:

  • Maggie Freleng [01:11]:

    "She discovers Joanna's younger children under the supervision of a teenage son of Joanna's ex boyfriend, who informs Jessica that neither Joanna nor Cherise had been seen since Saturday."
    Underscoring the gravity and mystery of their disappearance.

• On the family's uncertainty:

  • Maggie Freleng [01:30]:

    "Their family is left wondering what happened to this young mother and her teenage daughter."
    Encapsulating the episode’s emotional core and open questions.

Important Timestamps

• [00:12] – Timeline begins: Joanna Clark is absent from work
• [00:34] – Cherise Clark is noted absent from school
• [00:48] – Jessica Watson performs a welfare check at their home
• [01:11] – Discovery that Joanna and Cherise haven't been seen since Saturday
• [01:14] – Police are contacted and missing person reports are filed
• [01:28] – Family left in uncertainty as weeks pass without answers

Episode Tone and Style

Maggie Freleng’s narration is calm, direct, and compassionate, focusing on the facts while expressing empathy for the family. The language is straightforward, effectively painting a picture of the mounting worry and heartache that follow the disappearance of Joanna and Cherise.

Conclusion

This preview sets the stage for a deeper investigation into a mother and daughter’s unexplained disappearance, inviting listeners to explore the intricacies and heartbreak of a real-life missing persons case. The episode promises an emotional, detailed exploration led by experts in the true-crime field.