The Cornelius Police Department in North Carolina confirmed on Monday that they are aware of a Facebook post that noted a possible sighting of missing Cornelius girl, 11-year-old Madalina Cojocari.
A user in the “Find Madalina Cojocari” Facebook group reported that she spotted a young girl at a Valero gas station in Weaverville while driving to Susanville, California, on July 5. The girl, who reportedly closely resembled Madalina, asked for a ride “up north.”
“She appeared to be alone, but honestly I could not tell clearly due to so many people there,” the post read, according to WCNC Charlotte.
A Cornelius police spokesperson told the outlet that they were “aware of the tip and detectives are following up” on it.
It has been 6 months since Madalina was last seen getting off her school bus on 11/21/22. Madalina should be getting ready to enjoy the warm summer months of being at the beach and swimming.
Please call Detectives at 704-892-7773 with any info that will help us to #FindMadalina. pic.twitter.com/7o0C0bXU2p— Cornelius Police Department (@CorneliusPD) May 21, 2023
As CrimeOnline previously reported, police arrested Madeline’s mother, Diana Cojocari, in December 2022 for failing to report her daughter missing. Madalina hasn’t been seen since November 21, 2022; police learned about her disappearance a month later, when a Cornelius school resource officer contacted the defendant about the child’s absences.
Cojocari told detectives that she didn’t immediately report Madalina missing because she was concerned that her husband, Christopher Palmiter, would put her family in danger and that it “might start a conflict” with him.
Palmiter was also arrested in December 2022 and charged with failure to report a child missing.
“She told him she was in a bad relationship with co-defendant Christopher Palmiter and wanted a divorce,” the warrant read.
Previous arrest records state that Cojocari and Palmiter were arguing the night Madalina disappeared. Cojocari reportedly claimed that she feared Palmiter put Madalina in danger.
Court documents indicate that during a search of the mother’s car, a K-9 police dog picked up on a narcotics smell inside her green 2008 Toyota Prius on February 10. Police seized the car, along with Cojocari’s Romanian passport, a Moldovan debit card, Madalina’s Moldovan and Romanian passports, and miscellaneous documents found inside the vehicle.
Cojocari is also accused of making multiple calls to “unidentified targets” said to be involved in ongoing narcotic trafficking investigations, according to court documents.
Former FBI agent M. Quentin Williams told WCNC Charlotte that the public should continue to share Madalina’s photo while they follow up on leads.
“We have social media and everybody is empowered,” Williams said. “As long as you’re on the platform, you are empowered to get the word out. So at the very least, everybody can blast it on the internet.”
“All leads have to be followed because you never know which one is going to be the one that gets you there, either directly or indirectly. We have about 850,000 law enforcement officers in America but we have over 330 million people. The way we’re going to solve crime is if those 330 million people are involved with the solutions to these cases.”
Madalina is described as a white female who stands 4 feet 10 inches tall and weighs around 90 pounds. She has brown hair and brown eyes.
Anyone with information on Madalina should call the Cornelius Police Department at 704-892-7773. To remain anonymous, call North Mecklenburg Crime Stoppers at 704-896-7867.
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[Featured image: Police Handout]
