Higher bonds set for mother and stepfather of missing 11-year-old Cornelius, NC girl
READ MORE
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.
Expand All
The stepfather and mother of a missing Cornelius 11-year-old made their first appearances in court Monday and Tuesday and saw their bonds set at $200,000 and $250,000 each.
Diana Cojocari, 37, and Christopher Palmiter, 60, are charged with failure to report the disappearance of a child to law enforcement. Mecklenburg District Court Judge Christy Mann set Cojocari’s bond at $250,000 at her initial appearance on Tuesday. If she makes bond she will be required to wear an electronic monitoring device.
Palmiter’s bond was raised from $100,000 to $200,000 Monday.
Their daughter, Madalina Cojocari, was missing for 22 days before she was reported missing to a school resource officer at Bailey Middle School, where she attends classes as a 6th-grader.
Police, the State Bureau of Investigation and FBI are still searching for Madalina. As a precaution they began searching Lake Cornelius near her home on Monday.
Both Cojocari and Palmiter asked for public defenders. Their next appearances will be Dec. 28.
Prosecutors from the District Attorney’s Office told the court that school resource officers had to contact the family on Dec. 12, before they reported their daughter as missing.
A Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools spokesperson previously told the Charlotte Observer that Madalina was reported missing to a school resource officer on Dec. 14. Cornelius Police and the FBI began investigating on Dec. 15.
“Her parents have failed to report her missing and have provided no reason or no information as to where she is,” a prosecutor said at Palmiter’s hearing Monday.
Cojocari and Palmiter have both been interviewed by police, but have not offered any explanation as to why they didn’t report Madalina as missing, or where she might be, prosecutors said.
“We think that $100,000 bond is way too low in this case,” the prosecutor at Palmiter’s hearing said.
At the mother’s hearing Tuesday, another prosecutor said Cojocari reported her daughter missing begrudgingly, and has hindered the investigation into her disappearance.
“[There are] grave concerns that if she is released from custody, she will continue and more so, hinder the investigation and the search for this girl,” the prosecutor said.
Officers ask anyone with information on Madalina’s whereabouts to 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.
Timeline of Madalina’s disappearance
An arrest report obtained by the Charlotte Observer provides a timeline of what happened after Madalina’s disappearance:
Nov. 23: The report states this is the last day Madalina was seen. Her mother tells police she went to bed that night at 10 p.m., and her mother hasn’t seen her since. That night Cojocari and Palmiter argued, and he left to see family in Michigan and to “recover some items.”
Nov. 24: Cojocari told police she went into Madalina’s room to check on her around 11:30 a.m., and she wasn’t there.
Nov. 26: Cojocari said she waited until Saturday, Nov. 26 to ask Palmiter if he knew where Madalina was. Palmiter said he did not know and asked her the same question.
Dec. 12: At 2 p.m., Bailey Middle School Resource Officer J. Nobles attempted a home visit with 6th grade school counselor Danice Lampkin after Madalina had been absent from school since Monday, Nov. 21. “There was no answer at the door, and a truancy packet was left by Mrs. Lampkin,” according to the report.
Dec. 14: Cojocari calls Lampkin and asks to meet with her about the truancy packet. She says she will bring Madalina.
Dec. 15: Cojocari arrived at the school without Madalina, the report says. She met with Lampkin and Nobles. Cojocari reported her daughter missing at this time.
“I asked Diana why she did not report Madalina missing until now,” Nobles said in the arrest report. “Diana stated she was worried it might start a ‘conflict’ between her and Christopher.”
Palmiter was called to the school to give a statement to detectives. He told detectives he last saw Madalina a week before his trip.
“He asked Diana if she had hidden Madalina and Diana asked Chris if he had hidden Madalina and they both said no,” according to the report. “Chris did not report her missing to the police at that time. Chris stated he spoke with Diana several times about Madalina’s whereabouts over the next three weeks and both stated that they did not know where she was, but they did not contact the police to report Madalina missing.”
#FindMadalina
Community leaders have planned a prayer vigil for Madalina Tuesday at 7 p.m. in the common area across from her home at Lake Village Boulevard and Victoria Bay Drive.
Another vigil will be held Thursday evening at 7 p.m. at the In Tune Soul Sangha & Meditation Community Center located in the Cornelius Town Square.
Cojocari 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.
This is a developing story. Check back for more details.
This story was originally published December 20, 2022 at 11:02 AM with the headline "Higher bonds set for mother and stepfather of missing 11-year-old Cornelius, NC girl."
