Authorities released footage of what they identified as the last confirmed sighting of missing North Carolina girl Madalina Cojocari, 11. She was seen getting off a school bus at her stop on Nov. 21 at 4:59 p.m., according to the Cornelius Police Department.
“This is the last time we have independent confirmation of when she was last seen,” police said. According to court documents, this was the last day she went to school.
Cops previously said she was last seen on the evening of Nov. 23. That information, according to police, came from her mother Diana Cojocari and stepfather Christopher Palmiter. As previously reported, the couple was arrested for allegedly failing to report the 11-year-old missing.
“Madadina’s mother and her stepfather told detectives they saw her on November 23, 2022,” officers said on Tuesday. “We are seeking additional witnesses outside of the family to narrow down the exact timeline of when she disappeared.”
According to an arrest sheet, Madalina last went to school on Nov. 21. A school resource officer and a school counselor both visited the family home on Dec. 12, but no one answered.
Diana Cojocari, and Christopher Palmiter. Madalina Cojocari.
On Dec. 14, the counselor asked Diana Cojocari to have a meeting at school on Thursday the 15th about Madalina, and asked her to bring Madalina along, according to authorities.
But Diana Cojocari allegedly arrived without her daughter on the 15th and told school officials Madalina had been missing since Nov. 23.
“She stated that Madalina went into her room that night to go to bed,” authorities said. “Diana stated her and her husband, Christopher Palmiter, argued that night and the next morning he drove to his family’s house in Michigan to recover some items. Diana Cojocari stated she went to check on Madalina around 11:30 hours on the 24th [Thanksgiving] and noticed Madalina was not in her room. Diana Cojocari stated she waited until Saturday, November 26th at 1900 hours, when Christopher Palmiter returned home before asking if he knew where Madalina was.”
Palmiter claimed not to know and he asked Diana the same question, defendant Cojocari allegedly said.
“I [the affiant] asked Diana why she did not report Madalina missing until now,” authorities said. “Diana stated she was worried it might start a ‘conflict’ between her and Christopher.”
Palmiter allegedly told police he left home for Michigan on Nov. 23 to pick up items. He said he did not see Madalina the day he left and he believed that the last time he saw her was a week before his trip, officers said.
He allegedly returned home on Nov. 26, and asked his wife Diana about Madalina’s whereabouts. Diana said he did not know.
“Chris stated that he asked Diana if she had hidden Madalina and Diana asked Chris if he had hidden Madalina and they both said no,” authorities said.
The couple allegedly did not contact cops to report her missing, even after they both spoke about her being gone.
“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,” officers said.
Authorities describe Madalina as white and weighing approximately 90 pounds. They have previously said she was last seen wearing jeans, Adidas shoes that were pink, purple, and white, and a white T-shirt and jacket, officers said.
If you have any information on Madalina’s whereabouts or the case, you can reach the Cornelius Police Department at (704) 892-7773 or the FBI at 1-800- CALL FBI.
[Screenshot via FBI]