CORNELIUS, N.C. — The Cornelius Police Department confirmed Monday they are aware of a Facebook post noting a possible sighting of Madalina Cojocari, who was 11 years old when she went missing from Cornelius, North Carolina, in November.
A user in the Find Madalina Cojocari Facebook group said she was driving to Susanville, California, on July 5 when she stopped at a Valero gas station in Weaverville. She spotted a young girl there who asked for a ride "up north." The poster said the girl looked a lot like Madalina.
"She appeared to be alone, but honestly I could not tell clearly due to so many people there," the post reads.
In a statement, a Cornelius police spokesperson told WCNC Charlotte that the agency was "aware of the tip and detectives are following up" on the information.
Former FBI agent M. Quentin Williams said the best thing people can do is share Cojocari’s photo.
"We have social media and everybody is empowered," Williams said. "As long as you're on the platform, you are empowered to get the word out. So at the very least, everybody can blast it on the internet."
He adds there is no detail too small, and all tips matter.
"All leads have to be followed because you never know which one is going to be the one that gets you there, either directly or indirectly," Williams said. "We have about 850,000 law enforcement officers in America but we have over 330 million people. The way we're going to solve crime is if those 330 million people are involved with the solutions to these cases."
It's been nearly eight months since Cojocari was last seen publicly. Local residents say they just hope police eventually find her and bring her home.
“I'm a parent and my daughter went to Madalina's school and my son played with friends in her neighborhood and it was just heartbreaking to see that she went missing," Kristin Clement said. "Everybody is just holding out hope that she can be found."
According to investigators, Cojocari was last seen getting off her Bailey Middle School bus just before 5 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 21.
The convoluted story of Madalina's disappearance her parents provided to police has raised more questions than answers. During interviews with investigators, her mother and stepfather provided conflicting dates and statements, according to documents obtained by WCNC Charlotte. The girl's mother, Diana Cojocari, and stepfather, Christopher Palmiter, are both in custody in Mecklenburg County and charged with failure to report the girl's disappearance.
Search warrants show Diana Cojocari had extensive conversations with a relative about getting out of her marriage to Palmiter. Those documents show Diana Cojocari allegedly asked the relative if they could help smuggle Madalina away from the home.
Those documents created speculation Madalina Cojocari could have become a victim of human trafficking. According to the U.S. State Department, 41% of human trafficking cases are facilitated by family members. Law enforcement consultant Roy Taylor, who's not involved in the case, told WCNC Charlotte this gives investigators more people to look into and hopes that Madalina is still alive.
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