CORNELIUS, N.C. — Madalina Cojocari has been missing for more than a month and the 11-year-old girl’s parents were scheduled to be in court for a bond hearing Wednesday.
However, the defense and prosecutors went another route.
Madalina’s mother, Diana Cojocari, and stepfather, Christopher Palmiter, face charges for failing to report the disappearance of a child to law enforcement. Neither was seen in court Wednesday.
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Judge Paulina Havelka said there would be no bond hearings or actions for Diana Cojocari and Palmiter. Diana Cojocari is held on $250,000 bond and Palmiter is held on $200,000 bond set last week.
Instead, the defense attorneys and prosecutors agreed on new bond conditions with the judge, behind closed doors.
If released on bond, both parents will be required to surrender their passports. Palmiter would also have to wear an electronic monitoring device.
#NEW: after a brief discussion at the bench between prosecutor and defense, Judge Paulina Havelka says there will be no action and no bond hearing for Diana Cojocari. Judge did say she must surrender her passport as part of conditions. @wsoctv
— Hunter Sáenz (@Hunt_Saenz) December 28, 2022
Madalina was reportedly last seen by her parents at their Cornelius home on Nov. 23.
She was reported missing to authorities on Dec. 15. The last time police could confirm that she was seen was on Nov. 21, when surveillance video showed her getting off a school bus at her stop.
Diana Cojocari has connections in Moldova, according to previous reports, and Palmiter told investigators he made a trip to Michigan between the time Madalina was last and when she was reported missing.
In a video update released on Tuesday, the Cornelius Police Department said, “this is a serious case of a child whose parents clearly are not telling us everything they know.”
VIDEO: Parents of Madalina Cojocari not telling investigators everything, Cornelius police say
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