‘We’re all concerned.’ Candlelight vigil held in Cornelius, NC for missing girl
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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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As the search continues for an 11-year-old girl who was last seen almost a month ago, hundreds of Cornelius residents gathered Tuesday for a candlelight vigil to raise awareness about the girl’s disappearance — and to pray for her safe return.
Residents of all ages came together in the cold at the center of the soccer field at Smithville Park Tuesday night. They stood in silence, holding their candles and embracing each other as they listened to prayers and words of encouragement for Madalina Cojocari.
While Madalina was last seen on Nov. 23, she was reported missing on Dec. 14.
The prayers were followed by a moment of silence that lasted around four and half minutes, or about 10 seconds for each day since Madalina was last seen, said Anson Hanbury, the lead pastor at Lake Norman Baptist Church in Huntersville.
Sheila Richardson, a Cornelius resident who organized the vigil, lives in the same neighborhood as Madalina. She said she had planned to host the vigil in her neighborhood, but had to find an alternate location due to the amount of people who planned to attend.
“People shared it, and it got bigger and bigger,” Richardson said. “It’s just a blessing that so many people care and they’re taking the time to come out. They’re taking the time to learn all about her.
“All we want to do is put out praise and positivity,” she added. “We want to give the community a voice. We want them to be able to say and do something, and gather together because we’re all concerned.”
Search for missing NC girl is ongoing
Madalina’s mother, Diana Cojocari, 35, and stepfather, Christopher Palmiter, 60, were both arrested over the weekend on a charge of failure to report the disappearance of a child to law enforcement, according to Cornelius Police Department news releases.
The search for the girl has drawn national attention, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation has gotten involved in the investigation.
On Monday, Cornelius Police expanded their search to Lake Cornelius, around two miles from the girl’s home. On Tuesday afternoon, hours before the vigil, police released video footage of the last time Madalina was seen in public, getting off the bus from school near her home on Nov. 21.
Cornelius police said they are seeking to narrow down the timeline of Madalina’s disappearance. Charlotte-Mecklenburg School employees reached out to Madalina’s mother several times to find out why she had been absent from Bailey Middle School.
As the mother of a daughter, Richardson’s goal for the vigil was to focus on Madalina, and to get the attention of Cojocari, who she said is likely struggling with her daughter’s disappearance.
“Hopefully her mother sees that we want her to come out, and that we’re here for her,” Richardson said. “If she didn’t have anybody to have her back before, or if she was scared before, we’re here, and we’re not going anywhere.”
On Tuesday, Mecklenburg District Court Judge Christy Mann set Cojocari’s bond at $250,000. She will be required to wear an electronic monitoring device if she makes bond, The Charlotte Observer reported.
Madalina 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.
Police ask that anyone with information on Madalina’s whereabouts 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.
Charlotte Observer reporter Kallie Cox contributed to this story.
This story was originally published December 20, 2022 at 9:43 PM with the headline "‘We’re all concerned.’ Candlelight vigil held in Cornelius, NC for missing girl."
