Important update in the missing girl Madalina Cojocari case as police widen their search for the 11-year-old after she shared a new picture

Police have announced they are expanding the search for a missing 11-year-old girl.

Madalina Cojocari disappeared from her home in North Carolina on November 23, according to the FBI.

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The girl was last spotted in jeans, pink, purple and white Adidas shoes, as well as a white t-shirt and jacket.

She was not reported missing until December 15.

“As part of the normal investigative process, we are expanding our search area outside of the home where Madalina was last seen, and that now includes Lake Cornelius,” the Cornelius Police Department wrote on Facebook.

“We are conducting additional land and water searches as a precaution.”

The girl’s mother and stepfather, Diana Cojicari and Christopher Palmiter, were arrested and accused of failing to report their disappearance in a timely manner.

During Palmiter’s first court appearance earlier this week, prosecutors revealed that police were not made aware that Madalina was missing until a school case worker sounded the alarm at Bailey Middle School.

Palmiter’s bond was increased to $200,000 while Cojocari’s was priced at $250,000.

Madalina’s parents have not provided an explanation for her disappearance.

Madalina is described as being 4 feet, 10 inches tall and weighing 90 pounds.

According to officials, she has brown hair and loves horses and ice cream.

Anyone with information about her is asked to call the Cornelius Police Department at 704-892-7773.

“We need to make sure we’ve spoken to everyone who may have information about Madalina to help us create an accurate timeline of when she was last seen,” investigators said.

Madalina’s congregation is praying for the girl’s safe return.

“We’re really just praying for a Christmas miracle just to get her home,” a neighbor told WCNC Charlotte.

A prayer vigil was held on Tuesday, December 20 as the neighborhood hopes for their safe return.

The police department said on Facebook that the best way to help is to print out the FBI’s official missing persons poster and post it outside.

The department also suggested sharing the poster on social media.

DARK STATEMENT

Madalina’s mother shared the troubling reason why she hadn’t reported her daughter missing for three weeks, according to arrest records.

Cojocari apparently told police she believed her husband would pose a threat to her family.

According to files viewed by WCNC, Cojocari told local police officers that she spoke to her family in Moldova about Madalina’s disappearance and they advised her to call officers as soon as possible.

But Cojocari was reportedly reluctant to file a missing persons report in case her husband Palmiter “would put her family in danger,” WCNC reported.

The mother said she feared this could “start a conflict” between her and her husband, according to the arrest records.

According to WSOC TV, Madalina’s mother also told officers her 11-year-old daughter didn’t have a phone.

She noticed that Madalina’s backpack and some clothes from the house were also missing.

The girl’s mother said Madalina had no friends to stay with and they had no family nearby as Cojocari is from Moldova, reports said.

DENIAL OF PARENTS

Both Palmiter and Cojocari were adamant about not knowing where Madalina was when detectives searched the child’s room.

While at home, the detective noticed a plywood cordoned off area in the kitchen, according to Cojocari’s arrest report.

Palmiter said the area was cordoned off because they were planning to build a separate apartment when detectives asked about it.

The detective wrote in the report that the circumstances surrounding Madalina’s disappearance gave authorities a probable reason for detaining Palmiter and Cojocari, citing the three-week delay before she was reported missing.

The news comes after a timeline of events in Madalina’s disappearance came to light this week.

At a court hearing on Tuesday, a judge said Cojocari “obstructed the investigation” and was “reluctant” to report her daughter’s disappearance, WJZY reported.

The investigation only began when Cojocari arrived Thursday at Bailey Middle School for a meeting about her daughter’s truancy. She was supposed to bring Madalina to the appointment, but didn’t.

According to the arrest sheet, Madalina’s school counselor called the police to the building and encouraged Cojocari to report her daughter missing.

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