Christopher Palmiter, the stepfather of missing Cornelius girl Madalina Cojocari, took the stand Tuesday in his criminal trial.

Madalina disappeared at age 11 in November 2022.

9 FOCUS STORIES: Find Madalina

In April, Palmiter pleaded not guilty to failure to report the disappearance of a child. Madalina’s mother, Diana Cojocari, pleaded guilty to the same charge last week and was released from jail the next day.

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Palmiter’s defense team has theorized in court documents that Diana was trying to flee the country with Madalina, with help from her mother and her cousin.

The trial for Palmiter began last week. Scroll for the latest:

Palmiter testifies

The case was turned over to the defense Tuesday afternoon and they called their first witness to the stand: Christopher Palmiter. It’s the first time we’ve heard him answer any questions.

Palmiter’s defense attorney started off his testimony by asking his client three direct questions: “Did you harm Madalina?” “Do you know where she is?” and “Did you know she was missing?”

Palmiter answered “no” to all three questions. He answered several more questions from his defense attorney, at times becoming emotional while talking about Madalina.

It was a slow and meticulous testimony, with Palmiter answering questions for about an hour about the work he did, how he and Diana first met online, when she and Madalina moved to the U.S., and how their relationship was over the years.

It was testimony centered around getting to know Palmiter, not about when he became aware Madalina was missing or about her disappearance. During his testimony, he told the jury he and Diana’s relationship was never romantic and felt like a companionship.

Palmiter told the jury Diana became very spiritual over the last few years, taking part in chants inside the house and praying aloud at a rapid pace. He said sometimes, Madalina seemed to just want to be a kid.

“Diana would be doing her prayers and stuff. Madalina would always ask me to play with her,” he said. “I’d take her for bike rides, play games with her, take her down to the park.”

“Who was responsible for caring for Maddy? Who did the household work?” the attorney asked.

“I’d go to work and Diana would make sure Madalina got up in time for school, she would make sure Madalina took a bath before she went to bed at night,” Palmiter said. “She was 100% in charge of Madalina’s education, the whole thing.”

He’s expected to take the stand again Wednesday morning and then, prosecutors will be able to cross examine him.

Prosecution calls final witnesses

Earlier Tuesday, the state rested their case. That came after they called their final witnesses to the stand: The Cornelius Police Department detective who interviewed Palmiter the day Madalina was reported missing, and the FBI digital examiner who looked through Palmiter’s phone.

Prosecutors said workers at Bailey Middle School repeatedly tried contacting Palmiter and Diana Cojocari when Madalina didn’t show up for school for three weeks in 2022. When Diana eventually went to the school and told them Madalina was missing, police were called, including Det. Cpl. Bradley Nichols.

Christopher Palmiter also arrived at the school. Nichols questioned him inside the school resource officer’s office. In body camera video, Palmiter told Nichols he didn’t know where Madalina was, but said he had asked his wife about her whereabouts.

“Since noticing the daughter missing, have you and your wife had any communication about her being gone? Any conversations about where she is? Anything like that?” Nichols asks in the video.

“Yeah, I’ve asked where she is. She said she didn’t know,” Palmiter replied.

“So you didn’t know she was missing until right now?” the school resource officer asked.

“Right,” Palmiter said.

“Where did you think she was this whole time?” the SRO asked.

“I don’t know,” Palmiter said.

In court Tuesday, Palmiter’s defense team made the point that detectives didn’t know exactly when Palmiter asked his wife about Madalina’s whereabouts, arguing Palmiter may not have known at what point Madalina wasn’t around or missing.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

(WATCH BELOW: Madalina Cojocari’s mother pleads guilty to failing to report her disappearance)