Madalina Cojocari’s parents due in court next week — 3 months since child went missing
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Where is Madalina Cojocari?
Madalina Cojocari was 11 years old when she went missing in Cornelius, N.C. in November 2022. But her mother and stepfather did not report her missing for about three weeks and have been charged with failing to report the disappearance of a minor. Meanwhile, as of May 2024, Madalina remains missing.
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It has been three months since 11-year-old Madalina Cojocari was last seen in Cornelius. Her parents are expected in court next week in Charlotte.
Diana Cojocari and Christopher Palmiter, Madalina’s mother and step-father, were arrested Dec. 17, two days after she was reported missing to police. They waited at least 22 days to report her missing, according to police records.
Cojocari, 37, and Palmiter, 60, are both charged with failure to report the disappearance of a child to law enforcement.
North Carolina law says it is a Class I felony for “a parent or any other person providing care to or supervision” to someone younger than 16 years old to “knowingly or wantonly fail to report the disappearance of a child to law enforcement.”
The two first appeared in court in December and their bonds were set at $200,000 and $250,000 each.
At Diana Cojocari’s first hearing, a prosecutor said Cojocari reported her daughter missing begrudgingly, and has hindered the investigation into her disappearance.
“[There are] grave concerns that if she is released from custody, she will continue and more so, hinder the investigation and the search for this girl,” the prosecutor said.
Both Palmiter and Cojocari remain in jail and are represented by public defenders. They will appear in court separately on March 2 during the morning session.
Where is Madalina?
Investigators, including Cornelius Police, the State Bureau of Investigation, and the FBI, have been searching for Madalina since Dec. 15 when she was reported missing by her mother.
Madalina was last seen in public on Nov. 21 when surveillance footage showed her exiting her school bus. Her mother says she was last seen at home on Nov. 23.
Since she was last seen, police have searched her home repeatedly, combed Lake Cornelius, and asked residents of Madison County to come forward with information placing her parents in the area.
Police confirmed Diana Cojocari was in the Madison County area between the dates Madalina disappeared and was reported missing.
“Detectives are working tirelessly and are following up on many leads to bring Madalina home,” Cornelius police officials said on social media.
Cornelius Police are asking the public to continue sharing photos of Madalina with the #findmadalina on social media.
Cojocari was last seen wearing jeans, pink, purple and white Adidas shoes, and a white T-shirt and jacket. She is 4 feet, 10 inches, has dark brown hair and weighs about 90 pounds.
Officers ask anyone with information on Madalina’s whereabouts to call the Cornelius Police Department at 704-892-7773 or the FBI at 1-800-CALL FBI. To remain anonymous, call North Mecklenburg Crime Stoppers at 704-896-7867.
This story was originally published February 21, 2023 at 1:05 PM.
