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NEW evidence was revealed in recently released court documents regarding the case of the missing North Carolina girl who disappeared in late 2022.
Madalina Cojocari disappeared at the age of 11 after getting off the school bus on November 21, 2022. However, her parents only reported her missing almost three weeks later.
Court documents show that Madalina’s mother, Diana Cojocari told a family member that she had intentions of fleeing the country with her daughter.
The documents detail a conversation between Cojocari’s cousin, Octavian Cebanu, and the FBI.
Cebanu confirmed that before her arrest, Diana, 37, told him that she was trying to leave her husband, Christopher Palmiter.
The court documents were filed on May 20, just as Palmiter’s trial was set to begin.
Madalina’s mother, Rodica Cojocari, apparently tried to help Diana and Madalina leave, said Cebanu.
It was mentioned that Diana assured Cebanu that Palmiter, Madalina’s stepfather, was not part of her escape plan. She feared he might be eavesdropping on their phone call.
She added that there had been a plan with Palmiter to arrange for Diana and Madalina to stay with family in Michigan, however, it never materialized.
Documents also show that Diana told Cebanu she believed she was in danger but not from Palmiter.
Instead, the mother feared that an unnamed third party would do her harm.
She reportedly told Cebanu that she had enough money hidden away to live off of for a few months.
The revelation upset Palmiter’s attorneys, stating that the prosecution withheld information about the FBI interview until recently.
SUDDEN CHANGE
Nearly two years after Madalina’s disappearance, her mother shockingly pleaded guilty to failing to report her missing.
A judge in Charlotte, North Carolina decided that Diana, who was detained since her arrest in December 2022 for 520 days, had completed the maximum sentence for her offense and was released accordingly.
Palmiter was arrested alongside his wife a month after Madalina, now 13, was last seen.
The couple waited 21 days to report Madalina missing, only doing so after they were contacted by the girl’s school about her absences, said police.
A judge told Diana, who is originally from Moldova, that she would likely be deported.
The mother said she understood and proceeded to plead guilty.
After the court hearing, Cornelius Police Chief David Baucom told The U.S. Sun that he was “thankful this part of the investigation is over.
“The search for Madelina continues,” he continued, adding that the police wouldn’t stop until they find the girl.
Madalina, who turned 13 on May 16, has been missing for over 500 days.
Her mother told investigators that on the night Madalina went missing, she remembered putting her to sleep and found her gone the following day.
Cojocari told police that she waited to report Madalina missing to avoid an argument with Palmiter.
GRANDMOTHER’S CLAIMS
Madalina’s grandmother, Rodica, told The U.S. Sun that she believe the girl is still alive but was sold to traffickers by Palmiter for $5 million.
“They were held in his house like prisoners,” Rodica said after a hearing last August.
“Lately, [Palmiter has] been sedating them with drugs.”
Rodica alleged that on the night her granddaughter disappeared, Palmiter dragged Madalina from her bedroom and handed her to someone at the door.
“He’s saying he doesn’t know anything, but that’s not true,” Rodica said.
Palmiter has been out on $25,000 bail since August and has pleaded not guilty.
Timeline of Madalina Cojocari’s disappearance
Here is the timeline of events related to the 13-year-old’s disappearance:
- November 21, 2022 – Madalina Cojocari’s last confirmed sighting was getting off the school bus, according to police.
- November 23, 2022 – Madalina’s mother, Diana, told police she put her to bed, and she vanished the next morning.
- December 2, 2022 – Diana tells someone in a text message that she is with Madalina.
- December 12, 2022 – Diana reports Madalina missing to officials at Bailey Middle School after being contacted about truancy. This is 21 days after she allegedly last saw her daughter.
- December 17, 2022 – Madalina’s mother and stepfather are arrested on Failure to Report a Child Disappearance charges.
His was supposed to begin earlier this week but was delayed due to a scheduling conflict with the court, Mecklenburg County district attorney’s office community liaison Michael Stolp told The U.S. Sun.
Prosecutors are expected to present evidence showing that officials from Madalina’s school attempted to contact Palmiter and Cojocari several times about the girl’s disappearance.
Palmiter went to the school on December 15, 2022, and told detectives he last saw Madalina on November 22, 2022, according to court documents.
Later that evening, he made two additional statements to Cornelius police and several other statements.
The prosecution filed a motion on May 17 asking the judge only to allow Palmiter’s initial statement about Madalina’s whereabouts.
“On December 16, 2022, Defendant arrived voluntarily at Cornelius PD to inquire about the return of his phone and laptop. Defendant also requested an opportunity to clarify some of his statements from the previous evening,” court documents stated.
“At this time, the State expects to only admit Defendant’s first statement, provided at Bailey Middle School to Detective Nichols, during its case-in-chief.”
FBI computer forensics experts are expected to be used by the prosecution as witnesses in the trial.
CONFIDENT SEARCH
Cornelius Police Chief David Baucom told The U.S. Sun last month that he has faith that Madalina will be found and wants her to know that she hasn’t been forgotten.
He hopes that people will continue to share her story and will speak up if they know anything regarding her whereabouts.
Baucom described Madalina as a “happy little girl” who was surrounded by friends.
“She loved the outdoors. She loved the mountains. She loved the beaches. She loved horses,” he said.
“To me, she was just a typical kid of the same age who’s now almost a teenager.”
Baucom shared there were “no specific updates or leads” to share at that time but remains confident that law enforcement will bring Madalina home alive.
“It’s not a cold case. It never has been, and from my seat, it never will be,” he said.
“We will continue to investigate this until we can find Madalina.”
Anybody with information related to Madalina’s disappearance is urged to call the Cornelius Police Department at 704-892-7773.
