Eleven-year-old Madalina Cojocari was last captured on school bus surveillance on November 21, 2022, stepping off at her stop in Cornelius, North Carolina. Her mother, Diana Cojocari, and stepfather, Christopher Palmiter, say they last saw her at home on the evening of November 23, but Madalina was not reported missing until December 15, a three-week gap that investigators say seriously hindered early search efforts.

Authorities arrested both parents on December 17, 2022, charging them with failure to report a missing child after police encountered conflicting stories and limited cooperation. Investigators have reported a troubled family dynamic: Diana asked a relative for help to smuggle her and Madalina away from Palmiter and later told police she delayed reporting because she was afraid of him. Neighbors reported backyard fires after the disappearance, and officers found a plywood-blocked section of the kitchen during a home search. Diana also traveled to Madison County in early December, telling a relative she was looking for Madalina, and Diana’s mother has accused Palmiter of selling the child.

Despite prosecutions for failure to report, Madalina’s whereabouts remain unknown. Anyone with information about Madalina, her movements in November 2022, or the family’s activities is asked to come forward.