Madalina Cojocari: One Year Later, Cornelius Police Chief Discusses Investigation and Mother's Guilty Plea

Cornelius Police Chief David Baucom provides an update on the investigation into the disappearance of Madalina Cojocari, whose mother has pleaded guilty to failure to report a missing child.

On November 21, 2022, 11-year-old Madalina Cojocari vanished from her Cornelius, North Carolina, neighborhood, leaving behind a trail of unanswered questions that have haunted authorities and her loved ones for the past year.

As the somber anniversary approaches, Cornelius Police Chief David Baucom has taken the opportunity to update the public on the ongoing investigation and to reflect on the challenges and frustrations that have come with the search for the missing girl.

Diana Cojocari, Madalina's mother, has pleaded guilty to one count of failure to report a missing child, adding another layer of complexity to the case. She and her husband, Christopher Palmiter, initially waited weeks before alerting the police of Madalina's disappearance, raising suspicions and complicating the investigation.

The delay in reporting Madalina missing not only hindered the police's ability to follow fresh leads but also allowed potential evidence to be lost or tampered with. The reason behind this delay remains a subject of ongoing investigation.

Over the past year, law enforcement agencies have conducted an exhaustive search, scouring the Charlotte area and extending their efforts into the mountains of western North Carolina. However, despite the wide-ranging investigation, no concrete leads have emerged to provide a definitive answer to Madalina's whereabouts.

As the investigation continues, Chief Baucom has once again appealed to the public for any information that might help locate Madalina. "We are not going to stop until we find her," he said, emphasizing the unwavering dedication of the police department to bring closure to her family and the community.

Diana Cojocari and Christopher Palmiter were both arrested and charged with failure to report a missing child in the wake of Madalina's disappearance. While Palmiter has since been released on bond, Diana remains in custody. The circumstances surrounding their arrests have further complicated the investigation, adding to the already complex web of unanswered questions.

Madalina's grandmother, Rodica Cojocari, has alleged that her granddaughter was kidnapped and trafficked for $5 million. These claims have not been substantiated by law enforcement, and authorities have not identified any suspects or provided evidence to support this theory.

Search warrants unsealed earlier this year revealed that Diana and Rodica had contacted a distant relative asking for help in "smuggling" Diana and Madalina from their home. Whether this request is connected to Madalina's disappearance remains a subject of investigation.

Despite the setbacks and frustrations, Chief Baucom and his team remain committed to finding Madalina and bringing justice to her family. The investigation is still ongoing, with detectives following every lead and exploring all possible scenarios.

As the one-year anniversary of Madalina's disappearance approaches, Chief Baucom has urged the community to remain vigilant and to report any suspicious activity or information that might assist in the search. The hope is that by working together, they can ultimately find the missing girl and bring closure to this heartbreaking case.