Police release updated photo of Madalina Cojocari, the missing Cornelius girl
Police released an age-progession photo of missing Cornelius girl Madalina Cojocari on her 14th birthday Friday, in hopes someone can provide a clue to where she is.
Madalina was 11 when she was last seen getting off her school bus on Nov. 21, 2022.
She has dark hair, dark eyes and an olive complexion, police said.
Experts with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children created the photo.
“We want Madalina and the community to know that we are committed to solving this case,” Cornelius Police Chief David Baucom said in a video on social media Friday. “Our commitment has never wavered, and we will not stop until we find Madalina.”
Baucom thanked the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation and the FBI for their help with the search.
The governor’s office is offering a reward of up to $25,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for Madalina’s disappearance.
“We urge anyone with information, no matter how small it may seem, to come forward,” according to a police statement on Friday. “Your help could make all the difference.”
Parents pleaded guilty, served jail time
Madalina’s mother, Diana Cojocari, and stepfather, Christopher Palmiter, didn’t report her missing until Dec. 15, 2022, when school officials confronted them. Each gave conflicting statements about what happened to the girl.
They were charged with failing to report the disappearance of a child.
Diana Cojocari pleaded guilty to the charge in May 2024. She was released from jail because she served 17 months in pretrial detention.
A jury found Palmiter guilty of the charge, also in May 2024. A judge sentenced him to 30 months of supervised probation; he had served 244 days in jail.
