A six-year-old girl, who has allegedly been locked in the same room since she was born, has been discovered by police in Brazil. The child was neglected so severely she didn't know how to speak and was fed a liquids-only diet, according to officials.

Officers found the "dazzled" girl after receiving a tip-off. She was saved from her parents' care and the couple were arrested, reports Brazilian news outlet Universo Online. Police were sent round to the property in the city of Sorocaba, Sao Paulo state, to conduct a welfare check.

They discovered the child in a locked, dark, dingy room. It is alleged she had spent her whole life there. A heartbreaking photo shows a stained wall bearing the impression of the girl's back, and a tired-looking teddy bear.

The girl had been deprived of vaccinations and could not even talk, cops learned. Child protection counsellor Ligia Guerra said: "The girl was very apathetic and dazzled by everything."

She added that the girl's hair was "tangled" and looked like it had "never been washed".

Guerra went on to say that the child had not eaten anything that day. Cops then revealed she had been raised on a diet of only liquids. The girl is believed to have communicated with counsellors and police officers only through unorthodox sounds.

After being pulled out of the home, the girl was sent to hospital for a medical examination and then moved to a children's facility. Her parents were arrested and charged with unlawful detention, and remain in police custody. According to police chief Renata Zanin, the mother "cannot grasp the gravity of the situation".

She added that the cruel parent "gave evasive answers" when interrogated and "showed no remorse whatsoever".