Parents ‘waited three weeks’ to report disappearance of their girl, backyard dug up

The parents of a missing 11-year-old girl from North Carolina have been arrested after they waited three weeks to report her disappearance to her school – but never contacted the police.

Madalina Cojocari was last seen on November 23 with state investigators spending hours digging up the backyard of the family home this weekend while also searching for evidence inside.

Police in Cornelius, north of Charlotte, arrested Diana Cojocari, 37, and Christopher Palmiter, 60, on Saturday days after the FBI became involved in the search for the youngster.

Police say Madalina’s parents waited three weeks, until December 14, to visit their daughter’s school to report that she had vanished. It has been almost one month since she had last attended class. 

Both parents have now been charged with failure to report the disappearance of a child to law enforcement.

Madalina Cojocari, 11, was last seen on November 23 with her mother and stepfather allegedly waiting weeks to report her disappearance

Police in Cornelius, north of Charlotte, arrested Diana Cojocari, 37, and Christopher Palmiter, 60, on Saturday days after the FBI also became involved in the search for the youngster

On Friday evening, the FBI released a missing poster with identifying information for Madalina, who is believed to have disappeared the day before Thanksgiving. 

Her parents reported her missing to the Bailey Middle School resource officer on Wednesday, officials with the school said. Her last day at school was on November 22. Officials at the school were then duty obliged to inform law enforcement. 

Madalina had last been seen at home in Cornelius. 

Her stepfather Christopher Palmiter, who works as a mechanical designer at a machinery manufacturer is being held on $100,000 bond. Police have not stated if Diana Cojocari is being held on bond.

‘On December 17, 2022, at approximately 10:15 this morning, Cornelius Police arrested Madalina’s mother, Diana Cojocari, for the Disappearance of a Child to Law Enforcement. Cojocari never reported her daughter, Madalina Cojocari as missing after she was last seen in Cornelius on November 23, 2022,’ the police wrote in a statement.

Residents living in the quite town appeared shocked by what was happening in the neighborhood. 

‘I’ve lived here my whole life so I’ve never seen anything like this. It’s odd that it seems like she went missing back in November, and it’s just now being reported,’ neighbor identified Sydney Capps told WCCB watching on in disbelief as officer with shovels made their way to the family home.

Police in Cornelius, North Carolina near Charlotte together with the FBI have been digging up the front yard of the family home

Police say Madalina’s parents waited three weeks to visit their daughter’s school to report that she had disappeared

Palmiter, who works as a mechanical designer at a machinery manufacturer is being held on $100,000 bond

Officers also entered the family home to uncover evidence contained inside

Madalina had last been seen at home in Cornelius. Both parents have since been charged with failure to report the disappearance of a child to law enforcement

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Both parents are now being held at the Mecklenburg County Detention Center.

Cornelius Police have not said if they found anything of importance during the search of the home. Police have since opened an investigation into Cojocari’s disappearance. 

Cojocari was last seen wearing jeans, a white t-shirt and jacket together with purple, pink and white Adidas shoes. 

She is described as 4 feet, 10 inches tall and weighs approximately 90 pounds, according to police. She has brown hair and brown eyes, authorities said.

Officers are urging anyone with information on the girl’s whereabouts to call Cornelius Police Department on 704 892 7773.