CORNELIUS, NORTH CAROLINA: The grandmother of a young girl who went missing in North Carolina made an appearance outside a courthouse recently. Madalina Cojocari's grandmother informed the media that she believes the 12-year-old was abducted and subjected to trafficking.
The missing girl’s mother, Diana Cojocari, and stepfather, Christopher Palmiter, did not notify the police about the disappearance of the then 11-year-old until December 15, 2022, even though the girl went missing the previous month.
Last week, both the mother and stepfather pleaded not guilty to charges of failing to report a missing child to law enforcement, and Palmiter was subsequently released on bail.
Where was Madalina Cojocari last seen?
Madalina Cojocari's last known whereabouts were at her school in Cornelius toward the end of November 2022.
In 2022, Diana provided a statement to the police, revealing that she hadn’t seen her daughter after 10 pm on November 23.
Diana recounted that her daughter had gone to her bedroom that night following an altercation between herself and her husband, Palmiter, as outlined in court documents.
On November 24, Palmiter left for his relatives' residence in Michigan, ostensibly to retrieve certain belongings following their argument.
According to Diana, she entered her daughter's room at around 11.30 am the following morning, only to discover that the 11-year-old was nowhere to be found.
Who is the suspect in Madalina Cojocari's disappearance?
Standing outside a Mecklenburg County courthouse, Rodica Cojocari, Diana’s mother, conveyed through a translator to WCNC that her "granddaughter is still alive, albeit kidnapped.”
Hailing from Moldova, Rodica and Diana then alleged that Diana's husband had engaged in trafficking Diana and Madalina for a sum of $5 million.
Rodica told WCNC, "Chris Palmiter is the instrument.” She continued, "He stalked them for two years. [He] had no documents in his home. He stole their documents and held them in the home ... like prisoners.”
Was Madalina Cojocari a victim of child trafficking?
Recently disclosed search warrants indicate that Diana and Rodica made contact with a distant family member, inquiring whether he would be willing to assist in the "transportation" of Diana and Madalina from their residence in Cornelius, situated just north of Charlotte.
As stated in the warrant, "She informed him about her troubled relationship with co-defendant Christopher Palmiter and expressed her desire for a divorce.” Ultimately, a judge decided to reduce Palmiter's bond from $200,000 to $25,000, leading to his release on August 17, as reported by WCNC.
