The Cornelius Police Department has updated the status of the case involving the disappearance of 12-year-old Madalina Cojocari, who was last seen at her home in Cornelius, North Carolina, in November 2022. Madalina's mother, Diana Cojocari, is now considered a suspect in her daughter's disappearance, according to authorities.
Both Madalina's mother and stepfather, Christopher Palmiter, were arrested on December 17 for failure to report the disappearance of a child to law enforcement. Diana Cojocari was convicted in May of failure to report the disappearance and sentenced to a minimum of six and a maximum of 17 months in prison.
The Mecklenburg District Attorney's Office has deferred additional questions to the Cornelius Police Department, emphasizing the importance of finding Madalina. The police have urged the public to share information and contact them at 704-892-7773 if they have any details that could assist in the investigation.
Madalina was last seen on November 23, but her parents did not report her missing until December 15. Probable cause affidavits revealed that both adults denied knowledge of Madalina's whereabouts.
A search warrant issued in March indicated that there were discussions between Madalina's mother and grandmother about a theory involving Palmiter potentially exchanging the girl for money. Investigators sought access to bank records to establish a financial pattern for Palmiter and gather information related to Madalina's disappearance.
During a recorded jail phone call, Palmiter mentioned that Madalina's mother had a significant amount of cash, prompting further scrutiny into the financial aspects of the case. Police conducted a search of the family's home in December, seizing multiple items, including cell phones.
Madalina, described as 4-foot-10 inches and weighing 90 pounds, was last seen wearing jeans, pink, purple, and white Adidas shoes, and a white T-shirt and jacket. The FBI has released a photo of Madalina to aid in the search efforts.
