Madalina Cojocari: Cornelius police chief hosts birthday party in honor of missing teen, vows to find her

CORNELIUS, NORTH CAROLINA: In honor of a teenage girl who disappeared from North Carolina in 2022, a gathering was held at 7 pm on April 11, 2024, to commemorate her birthday.

This event was also arranged to support the ongoing search for the missing individual. Earlier this week, police officials set up a box in the lobby where the public could drop off cards and well wishes for the missing birthday girl.

For context, the last confirmed sighting of Madalina occurred when she disembarked from her school bus in her suburban Cornelius, North Carolina neighborhood three days before Thanksgiving on November 21, 2022. 

Due to the child's parents waiting almost a month before reporting her missing, both her mother and stepfather have been arrested and charged with failure to report a child's disappearance.

What did the Cornelius Police Chief David Baucom claim?

In an interview with Cornelius Police Chief David Baucom, he expressed confidence in the ongoing search for Madalina and emphasized that she hasn't been forgotten, especially if she comes across news articles about her.

Describing the 13-year-old as a "happy little girl" with many friends, Baucom highlighted her love for the outdoors, “She loved the mountains. She loved the beaches. She loved horses," 

Although Baucom stated that there are currently no specific updates or leads to share, he reiterated his belief that law enforcement will successfully bring Madalina home unharmed.

He added, “It's not a cold case. It never has been, and from my seat, it never will be,  We will continue to investigate this until we can find Madalina."

Baucom emphasized, “It may seem insignificant to them, but it may be just that one small piece of information we need to help bring closure to this case”

The Cornelius Police, in collaboration with the FBI and State Bureau of Investigation (SBI), are jointly investigating this case, The US Sun reported.

"Our primary objective is to locate Madalina. This has been our focus from the beginning, and we are committed to continuing our efforts until she is found," stated Baucom.

"We aim to keep Madalina's name and image visible to the public so that we can encourage ongoing assistance in locating her."

Anyone with information regarding Madalina's disappearance is encouraged to contact the Cornelius Police Department at 704-892-7773.

Why did Madalina’s mother wait 21 days to report the child missing?

Madalina's mother refrained from immediately informing the police about Madalina's disappearance due to her fear of triggering a confrontation with her husband, Christopher (Palmiter).

The night before Madalina disappeared, they had an argument. The following morning, Palmiter mentioned that he traveled to Michigan to retrieve some items from storage.

Upon returning to North Carolina a few days later, they discovered they didn't know Madalina's whereabouts, yet they did not immediately inform the police.

Baucom noted that it took several weeks for them to contact the authorities, which complicated the case further.

During the time Madalina was missing but not reported to the police, the family had a big fire in their backyard. 

The fire was so significant that neighbors alerted the fire department. They observed the family burning couch cushions and other items in the fire.

The fire department did indeed respond to their house, but due to the ongoing investigation, further details cannot be disclosed at this time.

Since their arrest, Madalina's mother and stepfather have each attributed blame to the other for her disappearance.

In a court filing from August 2023, Palmiter's lawyer requested audio recordings and text messages from the prosecutor, alleging that Diana had a plan to conceal Madalina.

Diana exchanged messages with another individual discussing the concealment of Madalina from everyone, including Palmiter, without his knowledge.

The defense contends that the state possesses evidence indicating that Diana, along with others, conspired to conceal Madalina without Palmiter's knowledge.