On day 28 in the search for Madalina Cojocari, investigators are still looking for any sign of the 11-year-old who was last seen in late November.
The Cornelius Police Department, FBI and SBI are investigating her disappearance.
11-year-old Madalina Cojocari was reported missing on 12-15-22. The 6th grade middle school student loves horses & you can see how happy she is to have a big bowl of ice cream. If you have information, call the @CorneliusPD at 704-892-7773 or 1-800- CALL FBI. #FindMadalina pic.twitter.com/fgk1BAVpm4
— FBI Charlotte (@FBICharlotte) December 18, 2022
Police released video from a school bus surveillance camera, where the sixth-grader got off at her bus stop on Nov. 21. According to the department, this was the last confirmed sighting of Madalina.
According to police, Madalina’s mother and stepfather told investigators they saw her on Nov. 23.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg School employees contacted Diana Cojocari, several times about her daughter's absence from school. On Dec. 15, Cojcari went to Bailey Middle School and reported her daughter missing to a human resources officer.
Cornelius Police arrested Cojocari and Madalyn's stepfather, Christopher Palmiter, on Dec. 17. They are charged with failure to report the disappearance of a child to law enforcement and are being held at the Mecklenburg County Detention Center.
The @CorneliusPD, #FBI, & @SBI1937 are developing & following many leads to #FindMadalina. As part of the normal investigative process, we are expanding our search to include Lake Cornelius as a precautionary measure. There’s nothing we won’t do to #FindMadalina. pic.twitter.com/xTWKwkDa7v
— FBI Charlotte (@FBICharlotte) December 19, 2022
According to an arrest report obtained by Queen City News, Madalina’s mother and stepfather argued on Nov. 23, and her stepfather drove to Michigan. That night, Diana Cojocari noticed Madelina wasn’t at home, but told police she did not report her daughter missing because she didn’t want to start a “conflict” with the stepfather, according to the Queen City News report.
Anyone with information call the Cornelius Police Department at 704-892-7773, North Mecklenburg Crime Stoppers at 704-896-7867 or 1-800-CALL-FBI.
