Police and the FBI have released limited information regarding the investigation into the disappearance of Madalina. The last confirmed sighting of her was captured on school bus video. Madalina’s mother, Diana Cojocari, reported seeing her daughter on November 23, 2022, but did not report her missing until December 15—more than three weeks later.

On December 12, a school guidance counselor visited Madalina’s home to inquire about her prolonged absence from class. No one answered the door, but three days later, on December 15, Diana Cojocari went to the school and officially reported her daughter missing.

According to an affidavit, Diana told police that she and her husband, Christopher Palmiter, had an argument on the night of November 23. The following morning, Palmiter drove to Michigan to retrieve some belongings from his family’s home. The next day, around 11:30 a.m., Diana said she checked Madalina’s room, only to find that both the girl and some of her belongings, including clothes and a backpack, were gone.

Diana stated she waited until November 26 for Palmiter’s return before asking if he knew Madalina’s whereabouts, but he did not. When questioned by police about why she delayed reporting her daughter’s disappearance, Diana said she feared it might cause conflict between her and Palmiter.

Investigators obtained search warrants and seized two cell phones from the home. The warrants requested access to location data, call records, text messages, and other information from the devices. Authorities also searched the Cojocari residence, noting in their report an area in the kitchen blocked off by plywood. Palmiter told detectives they had plans to convert the space into a separate apartment.

Despite advice from her family in Moldova to contact the police, Diana did not reach out to authorities immediately. Palmiter claimed he had not seen Madalina for a week before leaving for Michigan.

Further investigation revealed that Diana had asked a distant relative for help in escaping with her daughter. The relative confirmed that Diana and her mother had approached him about “smuggling” the two out of their home. In a search of Diana’s car, authorities found passports for both her and Madalina, along with work and education documents.

According to the warrant, Diana had expressed to the relative that she was in a troubled relationship with Palmiter and wanted a divorce. They also discovered that Diana had a lengthy phone conversation with this relative on December 2, after Madalina had last been seen at school but before she was reported missing. The phone records showed multiple calls to numbers associated with ongoing narcotic trafficking investigations.

The search for Madalina, now 13, is ongoing, and investigators continue to urge anyone with information to come forward.