The girl was found severely malnourished and unable to walk or speak in February 2023 by a partner of her mother's who had gone upstairs to use the toilet and heard a noise that sounded like a baby.
He discovered the little girl, who had a cleft palate and matted hair and was suffering from dehydration, and called the police.
A statement read to the court by the social worker who was first on the scene said: "I was taken aback by what I saw and was extremely shocked to see a baby looking up at me sat in a divan drawer.
"[The baby] stared at me and was rocking back and forth.
"I looked at her mum and asked: 'Is this where you keep her?' The mother replied matter-of-factly: 'Yes, in the drawer. I was shocked the mother did not show any emotion and appeared blase about the situation.
"I asked had anyone else ever seen [the child]? Mum stated: 'No'. It became an overwhelming horror that I was probably the only other face [the girl] had seen apart from her mother's."
Denne historien er fra November 27, 2024-utgaven av The Guardian.
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Denne historien er fra November 27, 2024-utgaven av The Guardian.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Peace deal
What will the agreement entail?
'I felt the scapegoat' Bellingham laments media treatment on England duty
Jude Bellingham has said he felt the \"whole world crumbling down on me\" after being mistreated and made a scapegoat for England's defeat in the European Championship final.
United spent £8.6m sacking staff in drive to cut costs
Manchester United spent £8.6m on redundancies in the first quarter of its financial year due to Sir Jim Ratcliffe's drive to reduce the workforce from around 1,000 by 250, the club's latest accounts show.
Slot says contract dispute may be bringing best out of Salah
Khephren Thuram on his father Lilian's activism, what Thierry Henry always told him, and facing Aston Villa
Saka leads Arsenal's charge to blast away doubts on the road in Europe
This was some response to charges of being shot shy. Arsenal's lack of cutting edge on foreign trips had been the pre-match talking point but it turned out they had saved up a hiding for the continent's form team.
City stunned by late fightback as Guardiola's winless run goes on
Manchester City's losing sequence is over - just. But they are still a listing ship that can go down at any moment.
Kerr breaks new ground coaching men at Hearts
Shelley Kerr will lead male player development at the Edinburgh club
'He's a cool cat' Special Bethell ready to pounce on Test debut
Test debutant has impressed everyone from a young age but can he carry off batting at No 3 against New Zealand?
West Brom deny Isidor and hold out for draw
Sunderland extended their unbeaten run to 10 games but, as the smattering of gentle boos that greeted the final whistle testified, it was most certainly not a cause for celebration on Wearside.
George in the groove and ready to rock for England
Manchester United left-back was never going to let rehab end her dream and hopes for a Wembley bow against USA
