A 4-year-old New York girl who went missing from her Tompkins County home in July 2019 has been found safe, according to police in Ulster County’s Saugerties department.

Paislee Shultis’ kidnappers were thought to be her non-custodial parents, Kimberly Cooper and Kirk Shultis Jr., at the time. The leads quickly dried up.

Also read: Alabama resident fatally shoots naked, ‘excited’ suspect after Pelham stabbing

Saugerties police didn’t get a warrant to search a residence on Fawn Road in the town until Valentine’s Day, a day ago. They had learned that Shultis was being detained in an undisclosed location at a home on that street.

When detectives and New York State Police knocked on the door Monday night, the owner denied having any information of Shultis’ location, saying he hadn’t seen her since she was reported missing.

Also read: Shootout at Phoenix home leaves 9 officers injured

Shultis was discovered in a secret constructed chamber beneath a closed stairway leading to the home’s basement more than an hour after the search began, according to authorities. Officers discovered Shultis and Cooper cowering in the dark and wet enclosure after removing the step boards. The girl was taken to the hospital and was confirmed to be in good health. Later, she was freed and reunited with her older sister.

Cooper and Kirk Shultis Jr., as well as his father Kirk Shultis Sr., are now facing accusations. Cooper, 33, was charged with criminal child endangerment and custodial interference, while the younger Shultis was charged with felony child endangerment and misdemeanor child endangerment.

His father is charged with the same offences as him. The names of any of the defendants’ attorneys were not immediately available. Both Shultis men were arrested and freed on their own recognisance after being arraigned. It was unclear whether they had entered a plea.

Also read: Rep. Carlos Gimenez’s son arrested for slapping Miami commissioner at restaurant

The kidnapped girl has been instructed to stay away from all three accused.

Additional arrests are expected, according to Saugerties police. Since the girl’s disappearance, they and other law enforcement organisations have looked into a number of leads, including ones that led them to the Fawn Road house.

They claim that the owner has always denied knowing anything about her location.

Cooper’s biological father, who emerged shortly after his disappearance, similarly denied any knowledge of the girl’s location, saying he hadn’t seen her since February 2019, when he believes Cooper went to Pennsylvania with his daughter.

The inquiry is still ongoing, according to the police.