The search started on Sunday after the illegal occupants of the former Astor hotel in Via Maragliano in the the Novoli district of the Tuscan capital – 54 people mostly of Peruvian and Romanian origin, including the family of missing little girl, Kataleya – were evicted.

The girl went missing after playing with a neighbour’s daughter on the afternoon of Saturday, June 10.

Her mother sounded the alarm when she came home from work shortly after and found she was not there.

Law enforcement and firefighters have carried extensive searches for the girl, but so far no trace of her has been found.

One of the possibilities under examination is that the girl was kidnapped by adults.

ANSA