What happened to Madalina Cojocari? Parents arrested as North Carolina 11-year-old remains missing

Almost a month after Madalina Cojocari, 11, went missing in North Carolina, her mother and stepfather were arrested on December 17th, 2022.

Madalina Cojocari was last seen at her North Carolina home on November 23, 2022. Authorities said the 11-year-old’s mother and stepfather did not report her missing to the school’s resource officer until December 14. The school reportedly alerted law enforcement, who began looking for the missing girl and enlisted the help of the FBI.

On Saturday, December 17, 2022, Cornelius Police Department announced the arrests of Madalina's mother and stepfather after they waited three weeks to report the disappearance of their daughter. It is unclear why the parents waited so long to alert authorities.

Everything to know about the disappearance of Madalina Cojocari

Madalina Cojocari, who lives with her mother and stepfather, was last seen at her North Carolina home on November 23, 2022. She was reported missing after her parents alerted her disappearance to a school’s resource officer on December 14, who immediately called law enforcement.

On December 15, police announced that they would open an investigation into Madalina’s disappearance and enlist the help of the FBI and the North Carolina State Bureau.

Law enforcement, including the FBI, have begun searching for the missing girl and combed through her residence searching for evidence that would lead them to her whereabouts.

So far, authorities have arrested Madalina’s stepfather Christopher Palmiter, 60, and her mother, Diana Cojocari, 37, for failing to report the disappearance of a child to law enforcement. Both suspects are being held at the Mecklenburg County Detention Center. In a statement, police said:

“On December 17, 2022, at approximately 10:15 this morning, Cornelius Police arrested Madalina’s mother, Diana Cojocari, for Failure to Report the Disappearance of a Child to Law Enforcement. Cojocari never reported her daughter, Madalina Cojocari as missing after she was last seen in Cornelius on November 23, 2022.”

Local news stations reported that authorities were spotted digging up the missing girl’s backyard as fears began to mount for the safety of the child, who has not been seen for nearly a month.

A neighbor identified as Sydney Capps told WCCB that they found it immensely strange that the parents waited so long to report the disappearance. They said:

“It’s odd that it seems like she went missing back in November, and it’s just now being reported.”

As per Fox News, Cojocari was reportedly last seen wearing jeans, a white t-shirt, and a jacket, along with purple, pink, and white Adidas shoes. Authorities have asked citizens with information regarding the whereabouts of Madalina Cojocari to contact the Cornelius Police Department.

About the author

Anushree is a US Trending News Specialist at Sportskeeda. After completing her Masters in Journalism from the prestigious Indian Institute of Journalism and New Media in 2017, Anushree worked with the likes of the Hindu, IBT, Times Internet, and One India for 7 years, covering a wide range of topics as a hardcore journalist and a Features writer.

Before creating content, Anushree does a lot of research, exploring old and new reports from credible sources and cross-checking them alongside other reliable sources from the web. She likes the reporting and researching aspect of her job the most as it allows her to gain insights into things that she wouldn't have known otherwise.

Anushree has also had the privilege of interviewing renowned author and television host Padma Lakshmi for the Hindu in 2017.

After signing off from work, Anushree loves to go on walks and hikes. She also enjoys reading and watching a lot of mass media content, especially reality television.

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Edited by Vinay Agrawal