Police search lake for Madalina Cojocari, missing 11-year-old girl from North Carolina
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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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Police on Monday were searching Lake Cornelius for Madalina Cojocari, an 11-year-old who was reported missing last week after disappearing almost three weeks earlier.
Madalina was last seen on Nov. 23.
The FBI and Cornelius Police Department began investigating on Dec. 15. School officials told The Charlotte Observer she was reported missing to a school resource officer on Dec. 14.
Her mother Diana Cojocari, 35, and step-father Christopher Palmiter, 60, were both arrested on a charge of failure to report the disappearance of a child to law enforcement, according to Cornelius Police Department news releases.
“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,” the police department posted on Facebook Monday.
Search boats and fire officials could be seen at the lake Monday morning. It’s near Interstate 77, adjacent to Lake Norman, around 20 miles north of Charlotte.
The lakefront is around 2 miles from the girl’s home.
#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.
“The 6th grade middle school student loves horses and from the recent picture below, you can see how happy she is to have a big bowl of ice cream,” Cornelius police posted on Facebook. “The Cornelius Police Department, the FBI and the SBI need your assistance to help find her.”
A timeline of Madalina’s disappearance
Nov. 22: Madalina attended her last day of classes at Bailey Middle School before Thanksgiving break.
Nov. 23: Madalina was last seen at 10 p.m., police have said.
Dec. 14: Her family told a school resource officer at Bailey Middle School she was missing.
Dec. 15: Police, the FBI, and the State Bureau of Investigation begin their search and investigation. The public is alerted of Madalina’s disappearance.
Dec. 17: Diana Cojocari, Madalina’s mother, and her step-father, Christopher Palmiter are arrested for failure to report the disappearance of a child.
Dec. 19: Cornelius Police expand their search for Madalina to Lake Cornelius.
Officers 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.
This is a developing story. Check back for more details.
This story was originally published December 19, 2022 at 2:02 PM with the headline "Police search lake for Madalina Cojocari, missing 11-year-old girl from North Carolina ."
