Stepfather of Madalina Cojocari released on bond after 8 months in jail

Kallie Cox
·2 min read
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The stepfather of Madalina Cojocari posted bond Friday and jail officials confirmed he’ll be released one day after pleading not guilty in court on charges he failed to report the 12-year-old missing.

Christopher Palmiter, 61, posted bond at the Mecklenburg County Jail on Friday, according to the sheriff’s office. On Thursday his bond was lowered from $200,000 to $25,000.

The judge also ordered Palmiter, once released from jail, wear an electronic monitoring device and be subject to pre-trial supervision as part of his bond, according to WCNC.

Palmiter’s lawyer did not return requests from the Observer for comment on the case.

Diana Cojocari, Madalina’s mother, also appeared in court yesterday and pleaded not guilty, but her bond remains at $250,000.

Both Palmiter and Cojocari are charged with failure to report a missing child. Madalina — who was 11 years old at the time — was last seen Nov. 23 but wasn’t reported missing by her parents until Dec. 15, police said previously. The family lived in Cornelius.

Both Cojocari and Palmiter have been interviewed by police, but have not offered any explanation as to why they didn’t report Madalina as missing, or where she might be, prosecutors said in a previous court hearing.

During Thursday’s court appearance, Palmiter’s lawyer said “He believes she is being cared for by someone who mom assigned,” according to reporting by WSOC, the Observer’s news partner.

Madalina Cojocari, missing girl

Madalina has been missing for nearly 9 months now and Cornelius Police, the State Bureau of Investigation, and the FBI have followed up on hundreds of tips to find her without success.

Most of the court documents in the case remain under seal but some previously released search warrants suggest Cojocari was attempting to “smuggle” her daughter away from Palmiter because of her “bad” relationship with her husband.

The case is expected to proceed to trial.

Officers ask that anyone with information on Madalina’s whereabouts call the Cornelius Police Department at 704-892-7773 or the FBI at 1-800-CALL FBI. To remain anonymous, call North Mecklenburg Crime Stoppers at 704-896-7867.