Madalina Cojocari

2008: Christopher Palmiter and Diana Cojocari met on an online international matchmaking website.

April 11, 2011: Madalina Cojocari was born in Moldova. She is the biological child of Diana and an unnamed father.

December 2015: After rekindling her relationship with Christopher Palmiter, Diana and Madalina Cojocari immigrated to the United States.

January 2016: Christopher Palmiter and Diana Cojocari married in North Carolina.

November 21, 2022: Eleven-year-old Madalina Cojocari got off the school bus shortly before 5pm near her Cornelius, North Carolina home.

November 22, 2022: Madalina did not attend school.

November 23, 2022: Christopher Palmiter left North Carolina for a trip to Michigan. He claims he did not see Madalina this day.

November 26, 2022: Christopher Palmiter returned to North Carolina and claimed he didn’t know where Madalina was.

November 23-December 14, 2022:

No one saw Madalina and she didn't attend school.
On November 30, a neighbor called the police to report a fire. It was Diana burning furniture.
On December 2, Diana sent a text implying she was with Madalina.
Diana made multiple trips to the mountains of NC and eastern TN but Madalina was never seen with her.
The house internet went out, forcing Christopher to go into the office every day which was a 90 minute commute.

December 12, 2022: After repeated attempts to contact Diana and Christopher by phone and email, the school counselor and resource officer go to Madalina’s home. No one answered the door so they left a truancy packet behind.

December 15, 2022: Diana Cojocari went to Madalina’s school for a truancy meeting. In spite of being told over the phone to bring Madalina to the meeting, she did not. She claimed she hadn’t seen Madalina in weeks and the school called the police to have Madalina reported missing.

December 16, 2022: The police received CCTV footage of Diana’s cousin in the company of a child who looked like Madalina.

December 17, 2022: Diana Cojocari and Christopher Palmiter were arrested and charged with felony failure to report the disappearance of a child, also known as Caylee’s law.

Diana Cojocari and Christopher Palmiter’s mugshots

May 20, 2024: Diana Cojocari pleaded guilty to the charge against her. She had spent so much time on pretrial detention that she was released the next day.

May 31, 2024: A jury found Christopher Palmiter guilty and he was given 30 months probation.

June 10, 2024: Christopher Palmiter filed for divorce from Diana Cojocari.

June 25, 2024: The police named Diana Cojocari a suspect in Madalina’s disappearance.

August 29, 2024: A $25,000 reward was announced for information leading to an arrest and conviction in Madalina’s case.

September 4, 2024: Homeland Security confirmed that Diana Cojocari left the United States. According to her Facebook, this may have occurred in July shortly after she was named a suspect. Moldova will not extradite their citizens to other countries.

Diana’s Facebook post indicating she was leaving the United States.

Madalina Cojocari was 11 years old at the time she disappeared and would be 13 today. She was last seen getting off the bus wearing a jacket, a white t-shirt, jeans and pink, purple and white Adidas shoes. She has brown hair and brown eyes.

If you think you see Madalina, take a picture if it is safe to do so and call 911.

If you have information, you can call the Cornelius Police Department 704-892-1363 or NCMEC at 1 800 THE LOST.

Sources: 2024 Crimelines Podcast Source List

Madalina Cojocari Crimeline

Madalina Cojocari