Police release letter from Madalina Cojocari relative pleading for help in search
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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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An unidentified extended family member of missing 11-year-old Madalina Cojocari shared a heartbreaking handwritten letter, released by police on Thursday. In it, the person begs for anyone with information of her whereabouts to come forward.
Cojocari, from Cornelius, was last seen sometime between Nov. 21 and Nov. 23, according to previous information released by police. She wasn’t reported missing by her mother and step-father until Dec. 15, nearly 22 days later. Her mother, Diana Cojocari, 37, and stepfather, Christopher Palmiter, 60, have both been charged with failure to report the disappearance of a child to law enforcement.
The letter, dated Dec. 22, asked for positive thoughts for the family, and that anyone who knows anything about what happened, to come forward.
“We as a family are devastated and absolutely heartbroken to learn that Madalina is missing,” the family wrote. “We love Madalina and are shocked by these circumstances.”
Madalina Cojocari, missing girl
Both the FBI and Cornelius Police on Thursday made public what appears to be photocopies of the two-page letter but did not say who authored it. Both Diana Cojocari and Palmiter remain in jail, public records showed.
Newly released arrest records show that on the night Madalina disappeared, her parents were fighting. Her mother told investigators she believes her husband, Madalina’s step father, put their family in danger. What she meant by “danger” is not specified. She also told police she did not report her daughter missing sooner because she feared “conflict” with him.
Police wrote that Diana Cojocari told them in an interview that her family members live in Moldova and that she’d called them after Madalina disappeared. Police say Cojocari told detectives her overseas family urged her to call police and report her daughter missing but she did not.
The extended family didn’t comment on this beyond saying they are shocked by the circumstances surrounding Madalina’s disappearance.
Most of the letter focused on their plea to the public to find Madalina.
The family thanked investigators for their work to find Madalina, they said they will continue to hope and pray for her safe return “very soon.”
“Madalina is a beautiful, smart, kind, 11-year-old with greatness in her future,” the family wrote. “We are desperate to find her right now. She needs ALL of our help.”
The family asked the public to continue sharing photos of Madalina in the hopes of finding her.
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.
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.
This story was originally published December 22, 2022 at 11:50 AM with the headline "Police release letter from Madalina Cojocari relative pleading for help in search ."
