CHARLOTTE, N.C. — April 11 marks the 14th birthday of Madalina Cojocari, who has been missing since November 2022 when she was last seen getting off her school bus. But instead of cake and candles, there are renewed pleas and heartbreak as her whereabouts are still unknown.
Her disappearance continues to concern the community as police maintain its search efforts.
On Friday, Cornelius Police released a new age progression photo created by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, to remind the community that it is still searching for Madalina.
“The Cornelius Police Department, along with our partners with the NCSBI and FBI, continue to investigate this case,” Chief of the Cornelius Police Department David Baucom said. “We are committed to finding Madalina and will not stop until this case is solved. Madalina is a member of our community and is not forgotten.”
According to investigators, Madalina’s mother Diana Cojocari and her stepfather did not report her missing until three weeks after she was last seen. Both adults subsequently served jail time for failure to report the child’s disappearance, though neither has been charged directly in connection with her disappearance.
Reports indicate that Diana Cojocari left the United States sometime last year, adding another layer of complexity to the ongoing investigation.
Despite the time that has passed, police officials remain hopeful Madalina is alive and have emphasized their commitment to continuing the search for the missing teenager.
“This is all one giant puzzle,” Baucom said. “And we are just hoping that someone out there in the public has some information to help us put it together.”
The case has taken several twists and turns and includes alarming findings revealed through court records and search warrants. Days after Madalina was last seen, her mother reportedly burned several of her daughter’s belongings including clothes and photos in a backyard fire pit. Authorities also said Diana Cojocari sent $4,000 to a priest in Moldova.
“To my understanding, authorities have not made direct contact with that priest,” Baucom added.
Search warrants also revealed authorities are exploring the possibility of sexual exploitation or trafficking. Documents show Diana claimed she and Madalina were in danger and needed to get somewhere safe.
“At this point, anything is possible,” Baucom said. “We checked the flight records of every airline during that time period and we could not find any records that she (Madalina) left the country legally.”
Baucom said they have also reached out to Madalina’s biological dad overseas.
“He’s not been involved in the investigation, but we have reached out and made contact with him,” Baucom said. “He has cooperated the best he can.”
The case has also inspired grassroots efforts online and in the community. Crystal Starr, a mother from the area, helps lead two “Where is Madalina Cojocari?” Facebook groups.
“I am a mother, and Madelina is local to me, so you know, it’s just very concerning that a child just goes missing and just vanishes without a trace,” Starr said.
Starr and others have combed through court records and testimony, even trying to reach people overseas in hopes of uncovering something authorities may have missed.
“Just to get, you know, new eyes on it, new ears to see if maybe we’ve missed something,” she said. “We’ve looked through other search warrants. We’ve actually listened to the testimony.”
“Someone, somewhere knows what happened to her, and you know it, it’s still hard for us to believe that something like this could happen in our community,” she added. “And we just—we will always keep looking for Madalina.”
Law enforcement urges anyone with information regarding Madalina’s whereabouts to contact authorities immediately. The North Carolina Governor’s Office is offering a reward of up to $25,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for the disappearance of Madalina.
Contact Jesse Pierre at jpierrepet@wcnc.com or follow her on Facebook, X and Instagram.