Authorities said a 4-year-old girl who went missing in 2019 was discovered hiding beneath a wooden staircase with her non-custodial mother in a residence official had visited multiple times while investigating her abduction.

Paislee Joann Shultis, now 6, was reported missing from Cayuga Heights, a town on the outskirts of Ithaca, New York, on July 13, 2019. 

At the time, she was believed to have been abducted by her non-custodial parents, Kimberly Cooper and Kirk Shultis Jr., police said in a news release.

Paislee and her mother were discovered on Monday when detectives discovered "a pair of little feet" in a concealed area beneath wooden steps leading to a basement.

"We should all wait until the facts come out," said Carol K. Morgan, who represents Cooper. "Everyone should be patient before they draw their conclusions."

Detectives looking for the youngster discovered an apartment in the basement of the house, including a bedroom with Paislee's name written on the wall, Saugerties Police Chief Joseph Sinagra told CNN on Wednesday. It appeared that the bed had been slept in.

During the 2.5-year inquiry, authorities received many tips regarding the Saugerties-area residence where the youngster was eventually found – but each time, the residents denied any knowledge of the girl's whereabouts, according to the release. Saugerties is located approximately 160 kilometers east of Cayuga Heights.