The FBI released two new photos of Madalina Cojocari, the missing 11-year-old girl from Cornelius, North Carolina, on Friday.
In one of the photos, Madalina is seen with a horse during an apparent horseback lesson. In the other, she's on the beach with toy horses.
"Earlier this week, we told you Madalina loves horses," an FBI tweet says. "You can see the pure joy she feels when she takes her plastic ponies to the beach. And she enjoys riding the real pony named Rayne."
Cojocari's family released a statement Thursday, thanking the community for its support during this difficult time. The statement was released through the Cornelius Police Department.
Madalina Cojocari was reported missing by her mother, Diana Cojocari, on Dec. 15. Cojocari told police she last saw her daughter on Nov. 23, more than three weeks before she was reported missing. When pressed about not calling law enforcement sooner, Diana Cojocari allegedly said she felt it would "cause conflict" between her and Madalina's stepfather, Christopher Palmiter.
Cojocari also told investigators she believed Palmiter "put her family in danger," but police haven't provided any further details into that comment.
Earlier this week, Moldovan news outlet TV Nord shared they had interviewed Victor Cojocari, who it said was Madalina's grandfather and Diana's father. According to him, he divorced Diana's mother when she was a child. Both Diana and her mother left for the US after that.
While he told TV Nord Madalina and Diana Cojocari seemed happy, he claimed Diana would only speak with him when her husband, Christopher Palmiter, wasn't around. The elder Cojocari claimed Palmiter was against Diana keeping in contact with relatives back in Moldova.
Neighbors TV Nord spoke with also expressed shock about Madalina's disappearance. Most said they only learned about the news online.
Around the world and back in the Carolinas, the shock is still setting in for those who know Madalina. Her childhood friend, 12-year-old Kamren Stefan, says she hasn't seen Madalina in more than two years after moving away from the area, but still remembers all the fun they had together.
“She always had this very fun personality and whenever I came over she always grabbed my hand and take me over to where she had so many horses. She had an attic and a whole collection of horses," Stefan said.
Shortly after Cojocari went missing, the FBI contacted the Stefan family in hopes of gaining more clues into the young girl's disappearance. The Stefans said they wanted to help however they could.
“It’s a whirlwind of emotions. We didn’t realize we would be this close to the case," mom Dorian Stefan said. "Diana, if you’re seeing this Kamren would really like her friend back, so I’m sure she would appreciate it if you would cooperate and answer the questions. There’s a lot people looking for her."
Cojocari is described as an 11-year-old white female, weighing 90 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes, according to police. She was last seen wearing jeans, pink, purple, and white Adidas shoes, and a white T-shirt and jacket.
Anyone with information about the whereabouts of Madalina Cojocari is asked to contact the Cornelius Police Department at 704-892-7773.
Cornelius is located in northern Mecklenburg County, North Carolina less than 20 miles from Charlotte.
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