The girl was four years old when she was reported missing in July 2019. Her biological parents, who did not have custody of her, were suspected of abducting her.
But despite the fact that the police were in the house about ten times during the more than two-year investigation, the girl was not found.
There was no permit for the house search and the parents refused to let the police investigate the basement and the bedrooms.
- We are concerned about the fact that this went on for two years.
They lied to us for two years - including the father who said he had no idea where his daughter was, police chief Joseph Sinagra told CNN.
The father claimed that the girl's mother had probably escaped and taken her daughter with her.
Tips led to action
After the police received a tip earlier this week that the girl was in the house, permission was finally granted for the house search.
It was then discovered that the wooden basement stairs were strangely constructed and began to break up the steps.
"That was when the police saw a pair of small feet," reads a statement from the police.
The space further led to a "dark and damp" space under the house where the girl and her mother were found.
Built stairs
The police suspect that the mother and daughter have not left the house since 2019 and that the stairs were built to hide the space.
"It is our opinion that that place was probably used every time we sent a police officer to the home," Sinagra told CNN.
The girl has been taken into care and reunited with her sister.
Her parents and her grandfather were arrested and suspected of several crimes, including unlawful deprivation of liberty and having endangered the girl.