Rosa Maria Da Cruz: French woman who allegedly kept her daughter in car boot faces 20 years in prison

'I discovered this little girl in the bottom of the trunk, naked, next to a rotten cradle,' mechanic who found toddler says

Palais de Justice in the town to Tulle, France (Google Maps)

A French woman has gone on trial accused of hiding the existence of her daughter and partly raising her in the boot of a car.

Rosa Maria Da Cruz faces charges of repeated violence against a minor causing permanent disability, according to a court official at the Palais de Justice in the central city of Tulle.

The 50-year-old, who was in "denial" about the birth of her fourth child, allegedly deprived the girl, named Serena, of food and care and kept her in a basement and her vehicle's boot.

The toddler's ordeal only came to an end in 2013 after garage mechanics heard noises coming from the back of the car and discovered the girl living naked among old toys and rubbish.

"I discovered this little girl in the bottom of the trunk, naked, next to a rotten cradle, disgusting. I jumped back so much the smell was strong," a mechanic at Terrasson garage, Denis Latour, told state broadcaster France Info.

The woman faces up to 20 years in prison.

"She was smoking her cigarette, she looked relaxed, not frantic, nothing, calm, calm," said another mechanic, Guillaume Iguacel.

Authorities said the child was suffering malnourishment and from stunted growth when she was found, according to French media.

The report said the mother hid her pregnancy and birth from her husband and three other children.

The child, now nearly seven years old, is in special care and has what are thought to be irreversible developmental problems.