Madalina Cojocari has been missing for 141 days, but on her 12th birthday, the Cornelius community wasn’t going to let the day go by without celebrating her.
At a vigil Tuesday, a somber crowd of about 50 people gathered outside of the Cornelius Police Station to honor Madalina’s birthday and pray for her safe return. A birthday balloon floated in the air near a banner with Madalina’s face on it.
“Madalina is an energetic, vibrant, 12-year-old girl who loves animals, and specifically loves horses,” Cornelius Police Chief David Baucom said at the vigil. “A child in our community is missing and we need your help to find her.”
Just half a mile away, there are reminders of Madalina in the Victoria Bay neighborhood where she lived. Missing persons signs and yellow ribbons lead the way to Madalina’s home. A stuffed sloth, more yellow ribbons, and a yellow Easter wreath mark her front porch.
Madalina was last seen on Nov. 21 when surveillance footage recorded her getting off the school bus at a stop near her home. Her mother, Diana Cojocari, and stepfather, Christopher Palmiter, waited to report her missing until Dec. 15 after her school became concerned Madalina was absent for several days.
Her parents were arrested two days later and charged with failure to report the disappearance of a child to law enforcement. Recently released court documents show Diana Cojocari was attempting to “smuggle” both her daughter and herself away from their home in Cornelius because of her “bad” relationship with her husband.
Read more at: https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/local/crime/article274204820.html#storylink=cpy
