She was last seen getting off her school bus. Her mother didn't report her missing for more than three weeks -- and only after being called in for a meeting about her prolonged absence from school.
The Disappearance
Madalina Cojocari, 11, of Cornelius, North Carolina, was last confirmed seen on November 21, 2022, getting off her school bus. Her mother, Diana Cojocari, told investigators she last saw Madalina two days later, on November 23. Diana did not report Madalina missing until December 15 -- and only after a school truancy officer and counselor followed up on Madalina's prolonged absence and asked Diana to bring her in.
Charges Against the Parents
In December 2022, Diana Cojocari and her then-husband, Christopher Palmiter, were both charged with felony failure to report a missing child, in violation of North Carolina's "Caylee's Law." Diana pleaded guilty and was sentenced to time served after roughly 17 months in custody. Palmiter pleaded not guilty, was convicted at trial, and received supervised probation. The couple's divorce was finalized in March 2025.
What Investigators Found
Search warrants revealed that in the days after Madalina was last seen, Diana burned several of her daughter's belongings, including clothing and photographs, in a backyard fire pit. Records also showed Diana sent $4,000 to a priest in Moldova during this period. A text message cited in a warrant indicated Diana told someone she was "in the presence of" Madalina on December 2, 2022 -- more than a week after the date she told police she last saw her daughter. Surveillance images from December 16, 2022, in the Sugar Mountain area were described by investigators as "physically consistent" with Madalina and Octavian Cebanu, her only known blood relative in the United States. Investigators have said they are exploring the possibility Madalina was trafficked or sexually exploited, though this has not been confirmed.
Competing Accusations
Following their divorce, Palmiter and Diana Cojocari have each publicly suggested the other bears responsibility for Madalina's disappearance. During his trial, Palmiter said he believed Diana had sent Madalina to relatives in Moldova. Diana and her family have alleged, without providing public evidence, that Palmiter sold Madalina for money. Neither claim has been substantiated, and no charges directly tied to Madalina's disappearance -- separate from the failure-to-report convictions -- have been filed against either parent.
Diana Cojocari Named a Suspect, Then Leaves the Country
On June 25, 2024, the Cornelius Police Department formally named Diana Cojocari a suspect in her daughter's disappearance. Weeks later, a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson confirmed to reporters that she had left the United States; the exact date of her departure is unclear. She has since settled in Moldova, her home country. When asked by reporters in 2024 whether she knew where Madalina was, Diana said only that she hoped so, and hoped her daughter was safe.
Where the Case Stands
The Cornelius Police Department continues investigating alongside the FBI and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation. In 2025 and 2026, on Madalina's 14th and 15th birthdays, police released updated age-progression images developed with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children in hopes of generating new leads. North Carolina's governor has offered a reward of up to $25,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of whoever is responsible for Madalina's disappearance. She has not been found.
FAQ
Has Madalina Cojocari been found?
No. As of the available information, she remains missing.
Has anyone been charged in connection with her disappearance itself?
Both parents were convicted for failing to report her missing, but no one has been charged specifically in connection with her disappearance.
Where is Diana Cojocari now?
She has confirmed left the United States and is reported to be living in Moldova, her home country.