Madalina Cojocari

What happened

Madalina Cojocari, 11, was last seen on surveillance video getting off her school bus outside her home in Cornelius, North Carolina, on November 21, 2022, according to the FBI. She was wearing jeans, pink, purple and white Adidas shoes, and a white t-shirt and jacket. She has not been seen since. The FBI describes her as 4 feet 10 inches tall and 90 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes.

She was not reported missing until December 15, 2022, three weeks later, when she was reported missing to her school. According to the FBI, her parents reported last seeing her on November 23, 2022. According to Cornelius police, her mother, Diana Cojocari, and her stepfather, Christopher Palmiter, were charged with failure to report a missing child. Cornelius police say Diana Cojocari pleaded guilty to that charge in May 2024 and was released.

On June 25, 2024, the Cornelius Police Department said Diana Cojocari is considered a suspect in her daughter’s disappearance. Cornelius police say she has since left the United States and is believed to be in Moldova. The Cornelius Police Department, the FBI and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation continue to investigate, and in April 2025 Cornelius police released an age-progression image created by the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children showing how Madalina may look at 14. The Governor’s office offers a reward of up to $25,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for her disappearance. Madalina is still missing.