Disturbing new sighting in Madalina Cojocari case revealed as search for the missing 11-year-old enters sixth month

A DISTURBING new sighting has been reported in the case of missing girl Madalina Cojocari.

The 11-year-old was last seen getting off her school bus at her stop in Cornelius, North Carolina - 20 miles north of Charlotte - on November 21, 2022.

Mother Diana Cojocari, 37, said she last saw her daughter at home on November 23 but failed to report her missing until December 15.

Two days after she was reported missing, cops arrested Cojocari and her husband, Christopher Palmiter, 60, for failing to report a missing child.

The mom told police that she did not report Madalina missing out of fear that her husband would get angry at her.

According to records obtained by Queen City News, Diana said she believed her husband "put the family in danger."

The pair are still in custody at the Mecklenburg County Jail in Charlotte as they await a hearing on August 11.

Police conducted a search of Madalina's home in Cornelius and initially identified a firepit as a key point in the investigation.

It is believed that the family burned couch cushions there after her disappearance, according to the Daily Mail.

However, police then turned their attention to Madison County, a densely forested area, where two women and a police officer said they believe they saw Diana in her car days after her daughter's disappearance.

Now, a new sighting has been reported of an individual - believed to be Diana - asleep in her vehicle on December 4 until the early hours of December 5 in Madison County.

Deputies confirmed that the young girl was not in the car at the time.

This new report came alongside sightings of a private investigator asking questions about Madalina in Burke County.

According to WSOC, two reports of the investigator in Oak Hill - north of Morganton and two counties over from Madison County - were called in to the Burke County Sheriff this month.

According to the sheriff, the investigator was asking questions about the case and showing a missing person flyer of the young girl.

A WSOC reporter spoke to one witness who said the man pulled up in an SUV and claimed to be working on the case.

She explained: "He rolled down his window and said that he was a private investigator, and asked me if I had seen this girl, and showed me the missing person flyer.

"I had asked him if she had been seen on that road specifically, and he said no, just in the area.”

According to WSOC, many of them were confused as to why the investigator had turned his attention there.

One resident said: "He must know something about her and what's happened."

Another added: "You would think they would be looking in Cornelius instead of coming out here in the middle of the woods."

According to the sheriff's office, they reached out to Cornelius Police Department who said they had no information to suggest Madalina had been taken to Burke County.

Earlier this year, Cornelius police had to reassure the community that they were continuing to search for the girl.

Police Chief David Baucom said in March: "The next steps are what we’re doing right now. We’re still following up on leads. It is still an active investigation.

"This is not a cold case. We have detectives working this case every single day.

“We just can’t talk about it. Just because we’re not talking about it, doesn’t mean we’re not doing anything."

In a video posted this month to Facebook by the Cornelius Police Department, Madalina can be seen having fun dressed as a mermaid by a pool and feeding birds on the beach.

Police said: "It has been 6 months since Madalina was last seen getting off her school bus on November 21, 2022.

"Madalina should be getting ready to enjoy the warm summer months of being at the beach and swimming.

"Our department, along with the SBI and the FBI, continue to search for Madalina. As we have said, and will continue to say, our goal is to bring Madalina home.

"Please continue to share her picture on social media. We believe there is someone out there who may have important information regarding where Madalina is."

Anyone with any information has been urged to call detectives at 704-892-7773.