Heartbreaking pic shows missing Madalina Cojocari, 11, in remote area that mom visited again after mystery disappearance

THE DISAPPEARANCE of 11-year-old Madalina Cojocari remains an unsolved mystery 70 days after she vanished from her home in Cornelius, North Carolina.

The search for the young girl has shifted from her home to the remote and rugged Madison County, a densely forested area in the Appalachian Mountains.

The police, along with the FBI and the SBI, have reached out to the local community, asking if anyone had seen Madalina, her mother Diana, or Diana's car.

A photo of Madalina taken before her disappearance at the summit of Mount Mitchell in neighboring Yancey County has also provided a clue in the case.

This confirmed that Madalina had at least visited this area of the state before she went missing, which is located three hours from her home in Cornelius.

Multiple residents have reported seeing Diana's distinctive sea-green Prius in the days following Madalina's disappearance, reported Inside Edition.

One woman told authorities that she drove by the vehicle parked on the side of the road near Lonesome Mountain and remembered it because it later sped past her as she continued down the road.

Another woman spotted the car in Weaverville on November 22nd, one day after the last confirmed sighting of Madalina, while another resident reported seeing it at an IHOP in Weaverville on November 25th.

Additionally, a member of law enforcement had contact with Diana near Lonesome Mountain after Madalina's disappearance, but the young girl was not with her.

Despite a search of the area, no sign of Madalina was found. The investigation into the girl's disappearance remains ongoing, with the Cornelius Police Department, the FBI, and the SBI continuing their efforts to find her.

The Cornelius Police Department recently posted a message on Facebook reminding the public to continue sharing Madalina's pictures on social media to help bring her home.

The search for Madalina did not get underway until almost three weeks after her disappearance because her mother and stepfather did not report her missing until the school inquired about the sixth-grader's truancy.

Despite the delay, local law enforcement and the FBI are both still treating this as a missing person or kidnapping case.

Madalina's mother and stepfather remain behind bars after being charged on December 17th with failure to report her disappearance, and they have since been indicted by a grand jury.

They are scheduled to appear in court next month and have both claimed to have no information about Madalina's whereabouts.

The investigation into Madalina's disappearance is ongoing, and anyone with information that could help detectives is urged to contact the Cornelius Police Department at 704-892-7773.