NC NC - Madalina Cojocari, 11, reported Missing Dec 2022 three Weeks After Last Seen, Cornelius, *Parents Arrested* #3

[Ontario Mom]

Clothing, mattress and photos of Madalina Cojocari burned in fire pit after she disappeared, warrants show

The warrants allege that key evidence may have been destroyed in the days after Madalina Cojocari was last seen alive.

www.wcnc.com

January 17, 2025

Newly obtained search warrants connected to the disappearance of Madalina Cojocari reveal that, at least early on, the investigation centered around "believed sexual exploitation" of a minor child victim.

The warrants, obtained by WCNC Charlotte, also reveal, that in the days after Madalina Cojocari was last seen, her mattress, clothing, Halloween costume and family photos were burned in a fire pit outside a Cornelius home.

*****
A State Bureau of Investigation warrant shows investigators seized a phone in late December 2022. Analysis of that device identified a Discord account with 37 unread messages, the warrant said.
"Investigators believe this account belongs to the missing minor child," the warrant said. That same warrant, filed in January 2023, noted, "This investigation involves the believed sexual exploitation of minor child victim."

*****
More at link.

I remain convinced her mother disappeared her for criminal reasons. Same reasons she burnt all the evidence.
It's mind boggling she was allowed to leave the country when she's a prime suspect in a missing child case.

jmo

 

[imstilla.grandma]

*Interactive timeline

Warrants: Madalina Cojocari’s items burned before parents reported disappearance

Possible sexual exploitation was also investigated.

www.wbtv.com

Police said the items included Cojocari’s mattress, clothes, and Halloween costume. They also claimed family photos and carpet from an upstairs room were burned.

Madalina Cojocari: 11-Year-Old Girl Missing Since 2022 Was Possibly Sexually Exploited

A missing North Carolina girl’s items were burned before her 2022 disappearance, according to recently released search warrants. Madalina Cojocari, 11, was last seen getting off a school bus on November 21, 2022. According to WCNC, a December 2023 warrant stated that a phone was seized the month...

www.crimeonline.com

 

[MsMarple]

*Interactive timeline

Warrants: Madalina Cojocari’s items burned before parents reported disappearance

Possible sexual exploitation was also investigated.

www.wbtv.com

Police said the items included Cojocari’s mattress, clothes, and Halloween costume. They also claimed family photos and carpet from an upstairs room were burned.

Madalina Cojocari: 11-Year-Old Girl Missing Since 2022 Was Possibly Sexually Exploited

A missing North Carolina girl’s items were burned before her 2022 disappearance, according to recently released search warrants. Madalina Cojocari, 11, was last seen getting off a school bus on November 21, 2022. According to WCNC, a December 2023 warrant stated that a phone was seized the month...

www.crimeonline.com

Although anything is possible since Madalina remains missing, I don’t see a strong connection between suspected human trafficking and the mother and stepfather burning specific items. Items likely to contain evidence of a crime, such as blood or other bodily fluids.

There’s been no indication that Madalina is with her family in Moldova yet Diana shows no concern. That sure doesn’t support the theory of child sexual exploitation but it could mean that Diana knows where Madalina is and has come to terms with whatever happened.

If (or maybe when) hunters stumble across Madalina’s remains deep in a NC forest will we be shocked and surprised?
JMO

 

[Parsnip]

…

In October 2023, a warrant was issued for the WhatsApp app used by Diana Cojocari. It states that through phone records, officers determined that she recieved a WhatsApp message from a number based in St. Cloud, Florida, where Cojocari has an associate. The person reportedly asked her for assistance in helping Diana and Madalina Cojocari leave North Carolina.

…
Bbm
Can anyone make sense of this?

https://www.qcnews.com/finding-madalina/search-warrants-show-what-police-were-searching-for-at-madalina-cojocaris-house/

 

[Ontario Mom]

…

In October 2023, a warrant was issued for the WhatsApp app used by Diana Cojocari. It states that through phone records, officers determined that she recieved a WhatsApp message from a number based in St. Cloud, Florida, where Cojocari has an associate. The person reportedly asked her for assistance in helping Diana and Madalina Cojocari leave North Carolina.

…
Bbm
Can anyone make sense of this?

https://www.qcnews.com/finding-madalina/search-warrants-show-what-police-were-searching-for-at-madalina-cojocaris-house/

Just a guess, but it sounds like the person with the Florida number that contacted DC through WhatsApp, then later reported (to LE) that DC asked her for assistance in leaving North Carolina.

I've read it like 10 times and that's the only thing that makes sense.

jmo

 

[Parsnip]

Just a guess, but it sounds like the person with the Florida number that contacted DC through WhatsApp, then later reported (to LE) that DC asked her for assistance in leaving North Carolina.

I've read it like 10 times and that's the only thing that makes sense.

jmo

Thank you! You tried twice as hard as I did!

 

[MsMarple]

…

In October 2023, a warrant was issued for the WhatsApp app used by Diana Cojocari. It states that through phone records, officers determined that she recieved a WhatsApp message from a number based in St. Cloud, Florida, where Cojocari has an associate. The person reportedly asked her for assistance in helping Diana and Madalina Cojocari leave North Carolina.

…
Bbm
Can anyone make sense of this?

https://www.qcnews.com/finding-madalina/search-warrants-show-what-police-were-searching-for-at-madalina-cojocaris-house/

It was Diana who asked for help. Previous reports said that Diana had asked a distant relative for help in smuggling her and Madalina out of NC and away from Palmiter. Oh and also because she thought she was being followed by Russians.

Either way it makes no sense. Romanian and Moldovan passports were found in Diana’s car along with a debit card and other documents. IOW nothing stopped Diana from booking two tickets home to Moldova. There was zero need for cloak and dagger folderol.

I do believe however that Diana may have some mental health issues. IMO we can’t ignore the possibility that she harmed Madalina because of some warped notion of “saving” her from imaginary enemies. JMO of course.

Madalina Cojocari's stepfather found guilty

Madalina Cojocari was 11 years old when she was last seen in November 2022.

spectrumlocalnews.com

Here’s the… interesting… interview with Madalina’s grandmother who said she knew what happened.

Madalina Cojocari's grandmother: Christopher Palmiter 'gave her over to traffickers'

Rodica Cojocari spoke to WCNC Charlotte Thursday while her daughter and her son-in-law appeared in court to face charges of failing to report Madalina as missing.

www.wcnc.com

 

[Unalienable Rights]

Missing Madalina Cojocari’s parents finalize divorce in Mecklenburg County

Cornelius, North Carolina girl missing since 2022

www.wbtv.com

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WBTV) - The mother and stepfather of Madalina Cojocari, a girl who went missing from Mecklenburg County in 2022, finalized their divorce on Monday, records show.

On March 3, 2025, a divorce was finalized between Diana Cojocari, mother of Madalina Cojocari, and Christopher Palmiter, the girl’s stepfather. Palmiter filed for divorce in the summer of 2024, nearly two years after his then-11-year-old stepdaughter went missing.

*****

 

[tlcya]

PEOPLE obtained all 32 of the newly unsealed warrants, which allege that Madalina's mother and stepfather burned her belongings, paid thousands to a priest in her home country of Moldova and informed Madalina's grandmother of a large bag of cash she had hidden away.
[snip]
Just last week, the couple finalized their divorce according to court records.
Mom Burned Missing Daughter's Photos, Hid Bag of Cash, Paid Priest Thousands Then Fled U.S. - and Still No Sign of the Girl

 

[vls12345]

PEOPLE obtained all 32 of the newly unsealed warrants, which allege that Madalina's mother and stepfather burned her belongings, paid thousands to a priest in her home country of Moldova and informed Madalina's grandmother of a large bag of cash she had hidden away.
[snip]
Just last week, the couple finalized their divorce according to court records.
Mom Burned Missing Daughter's Photos, Hid Bag of Cash, Paid Priest Thousands Then Fled U.S. - and Still No Sign of the Girl

It still seems so wrong that the charges were so mild and yet Madalina has still not been found. (I realize there has not been more concrete evidence though.) I still hope Madalina is found. MOO.

 

[StarryStarryNight]

It still seems so wrong that the charges were so mild and yet Madalina has still not been found. (I realize there has not been more concrete evidence though.) I still hope Madalina is found. MOO.

I agree.
I cannot remember ever having a child disappear and LE basically just shrug their shoulders and walk away.
If Madalina was sent out of the country for whatever reason, why not just say it. The fact no one has said it is unsettling.
I pray she’s OK. That’s all any of us can hope for really.

 

[Sjöberg]

This case is so bizarre. Initially I was pretty sure, that it is a typical case of a stepdad SA-ing a preteen stepdaughter and eventually killing her. We have so many examples of that. The burning of the items really made it all the more likely.
But no body was found and these are not criminal masterminds. Then I really thought that maybe the mother has lost a few marbles and is afraid of someone (be it the stepdad or some drug-related-people) and she has smuggled her somewhere.
But the more time goes on, the less likely these stories are with MC being found neither dead nor alive.

I keep up the hope that she is alive and relatively safe, living somewhere in Europe, maybe with a new ID (maybe posed as a war refugee). But I'm afraid she actually never left the house alive.

 

[Ontario Mom]

This case is so bizarre. Initially I was pretty sure, that it is a typical case of a stepdad SA-ing a preteen stepdaughter and eventually killing her. We have so many examples of that. The burning of the items really made it all the more likely.
But no body was found and these are not criminal masterminds. Then I really thought that maybe the mother has lost a few marbles and is afraid of someone (be it the stepdad or some drug-related-people) and she has smuggled her somewhere.
But the more time goes on, the less likely these stories are with MC being found neither dead nor alive.

I keep up the hope that she is alive and relatively safe, living somewhere in Europe, maybe with a new ID (maybe posed as a war refugee). But I'm afraid she actually never left the house alive.

I go round and round with this one as well.

While I do think DC had everything to do with Madalina's disappearance, I tend to go back and forth when it comes to Palmiter. Mostly I think he was in the dark, then I waffle and wonder how much he really did know.

 

[Diavola]

If alive, she might resurface when she's 18.

 

[Unalienable Rights]

Today is Madalina's 14th birthday. Unfortunately, there is nothing new to report.

Madalina Cojocari turns 14 today as search continues

Madalina Cojocari turns 14 as police continue their search efforts for the girl missing since November 2022.

www.wcnc.com

Today marks the 14th birthday of Madalina Cojocari, who has been missing since November 2022 when she was last seen getting off her school bus.
Her disappearance continues to concern the community as police maintain their search efforts.

Missing Madalina Cojocari: Where North Carolina case stands on girl’s 14th birthday

Cornelius girl missing since November 2022

www.wbtv.com

 

[iulia]

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=2048917252256581

 

[borndem]

Just SMH. She has been missing for long time. Hoping she is okay, but we've seen this type of thing too many times, especially when the missing person has been gone "too long."
Just hoping she is okay, but I just have to SMH and keep hoping for good news.

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A bit about Cornelius, NC - -
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Cornelius is a suburban town located along Lake Norman in northern Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, United States. It is a major suburb of Charlotte and part of its metropolitan area. Wikipedia

• Current Weather: Showers 65°F/18°C
• Local Time: 3:47 PM EDT, Friday
• County: Mecklenburg County, North Carolina
• Population: 31,412

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[Unalienable Rights]

What search warrants say about Madalina Cojocari’s disappearance

WBTV combed through 30 or more search warrants since her disappearance

www.wbtv.com

April 11, 2025

*****
WBTV combed through more than 30 search warrants executed since after Madalina’s disappearance.

*****
“I feel like we’re definitely closer. We spend a lot of time, hours, investigating this case, and we’ve been able to put a lot of information together, but we still haven’t been able to locate Madalina,” Cornelius Police Chief David Baucom said.

State and federal investigators continue to help in the case, Baucom said.

The Governor’s office is offering $25,000 for anyone who can help police make an arrest which leads to a conviction.

 

[dotr]

What qualifies as a cold case? VERIFY

WCNC Charlotte's VERIFY team looks into how authorities handle investigations as Madalina Cojocari’s disappearance enters its third year.

www.wcnc.com

November 21, 2025
''CORNELIUS, N.C. — As the search for missing Cornelius girl Madalina Cojocari enters its third year, questions continue to surface about whether the investigation may soon be classified as a cold case.
Cornelius Police confirmed Friday that the disappearance of the now-13-year-old girl is not considered a cold case and remains an active investigation.''

''The definition, however, varies by agency. Murder Accountability Project reports that from 1965 through 2023, about 80% of homicide cases in North Carolina were solved. The state still has approximately 6,655 unsolved cases.
To help address those long-term investigations, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation formed its Cold Case Investigation Team (CCIT) in 2020. The unit assists local and federal agencies by sharing information with the public that may help move cases forward. Officials say recent advances in DNA technology have also allowed investigators to reexamine older evidence.'

Nov 21, 2025
Friday, Nov. 21, marks three years since missing Cornelius girl Madalina Cojocari was last seen in public.The last known video taken of her shows the then-11-year-old getting off her school bus around 5 p.m. on Nov. 21, 2022. Her mother Diana Cojocari and stepfather Christopher Palmiter did not report her missing for another three weeks, investigators say.

 

[StarryStarryNight]

What qualifies as a cold case? VERIFY

WCNC Charlotte's VERIFY team looks into how authorities handle investigations as Madalina Cojocari’s disappearance enters its third year.

www.wcnc.com

November 21, 2025
''CORNELIUS, N.C. — As the search for missing Cornelius girl Madalina Cojocari enters its third year, questions continue to surface about whether the investigation may soon be classified as a cold case.
Cornelius Police confirmed Friday that the disappearance of the now-13-year-old girl is not considered a cold case and remains an active investigation.''

''The definition, however, varies by agency. Murder Accountability Project reports that from 1965 through 2023, about 80% of homicide cases in North Carolina were solved. The state still has approximately 6,655 unsolved cases.
To help address those long-term investigations, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation formed its Cold Case Investigation Team (CCIT) in 2020. The unit assists local and federal agencies by sharing information with the public that may help move cases forward. Officials say recent advances in DNA technology have also allowed investigators to reexamine older evidence.'

Nov 21, 2025
Friday, Nov. 21, marks three years since missing Cornelius girl Madalina Cojocari was last seen in public.The last known video taken of her shows the then-11-year-old getting off her school bus around 5 p.m. on Nov. 21, 2022. Her mother Diana Cojocari and stepfather Christopher Palmiter did not report her missing for another three weeks, investigators say.

Such a maddening case.
Maybe it should be a crime to not to be able to tell and/or prove to LE your child is alive and well.
Three weeks.