Follow the investigation into the girl rescued in New York 3:37
(CNN) --
Police had been searching for more than two years with no luck for Paislee Shultis, a 4-year-old girl reported missing in 2019 by her legal guardian in Cayuga Heights, upstate New York.
But a new piece of information turned the whole investigation upside down, leading them directly to a place they had long suspected was her location but could never prove: the home of Paislee's biological parents.
"This information was new, it was real. The information provided was corroborated," Saugerties Police Department Chief Joseph Sinagra told CNN's Mark Morales.
What we know about the case of Paislee Shultis, the girl who disappeared two years ago who was found hidden under a staircase
Paislee, now 6, was found alive Monday hiding under a staircase with her biological mother.
The girl has been returned to her legal guardian and her older sister, police said.
Her biological parents and her grandfather were arrested.
Paislee Shultis and the place where she was found.
Although the authorities had been to the house on numerous occasions, they lacked the evidence necessary to carry out a full search of the property.
"We can't execute a search warrant or act on hearsay, we have to act on factual information. And on that particular day, February 14, we got factual information. And that's what made it so different." Sinagra said.
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The Police did not want to reveal what the specific information was or who it came from.
But it turned out to be the key, as it allowed authorities to gain legal access to the house and ultimately find Paislee.
The tip received by the police was not the first
Saugerties is about 250 kilometers east of Cayuga Heights and the place where Paislee was finally found.
Authorities frequently visited the house, working on leads received about her possible whereabouts, Sinagra said, but more often than not, agents were greeted with irritation.
For these clues they found a missing girl in New York 1:00
Kimberly Cooper and Kirk Shultis Jr., Paislee's non-custodial parents, accused police of "harassing" them and "insisting that we should be looking for Paislee," Sinagra said.
"On very few occasions were we allowed to enter the residence, and when officers were allowed, access was limited. They were never allowed to go into the basement, they were never allowed to go into any of the bedroom areas. Sinagra said.
"And multiple times we were told to get out, to get off the property. And we have to abide by that. It's a Fourth Amendment right. We don't have the right to search or seize anyone's property unless we have the legal authority to do it," the boss said.
The situation changed on Monday, when the police received information important enough to obtain a court order.
The agents arrived at the door of the house around 4 in the afternoon to make sure that no one left.
Police executed the warrant shortly after 8 a.m., the chief said.
The owner of the house denied knowing the whereabouts of the girl, saying that he had not seen her since she was reported missing in 2019.
finally found
For the first time, detectives were able to search every room in the house and reach the basement, where, according to the police chief, they found what appeared to be an apartment.
Why missing children investigations are complicated 0:47
"There was a kitchen, there were bedrooms, a living area. One of the bedrooms was dedicated to Paislee. It had her name on the wall, there were clothes scattered around the bedroom, and the bed looked unmade as if someone had slept there." Sinagra said.
Residents told police the girl was not in the house, saying they had prepared the room that way in case she ever returned.
The girl's room was also near a staircase, under which the police would eventually discover the little girl and her mother hiding.
A detective made the discovery after noticing something odd on the stairs, and after a closer look he saw a blanket in the cracks, the chief said.
"So they took some tools and started taking the ladder apart. And as they were taking the rungs off the ladder, they see some feet, little feet," the police chief said.
In the hideout, police also found blankets, a pillow and clothing, the chief said, adding that it was clear the place had been used more than once.
Missing 2019 girl found alive under stairs 0:34
"Our opinion, based on our investigation, is that location was probably used each and every time we sent an agent to the residence to follow up on a lead," he said.
They accuse the biological family
Kimberly Cooper, Paislee's birth mother, was charged with Custodial Interference in the Second Degree and Endangering the Welfare of a Child, both misdemeanors, according to police.
She is out on bail.
Kirk Shultis Jr. and Kirk Shultis Sr., Paislee's biological father and grandfather, were charged with Custodial Interference in the First Degree, a felony, and Endangering the Welfare of a Child, a misdemeanor.
Both were processed and released at their own risk, police said.
The court ordered the three defendants to stay away from the girl.
The men's attorneys declined to comment, while Carol K. Morgan, an attorney representing Cooper, said: "We should all wait until the facts are out. Everyone should be patient before drawing their own conclusions."
With information from Mark Morales, Christina Maxouris, Ray Sánchez, Dakin Andone, Mirna Alsharif, Jessica Prater, Kiely Westhoff, Lauren del Valle, and Chris Hippensteel.
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