A court in Rotterdam has conducted a pro forma hearing on Thursday in a harrowing case of attempted murder and grievous bodily harm perpetrated against a 10-year-old girl by her foster parents in Vlaardingen.

The accused, 37-year-old Daisy W and Johnny van den B, have been in custody since their arrest but were not present at the hearing.

The case came to light in May when the girl was hospitalised with life-threatening injuries and in a coma after being repeatedly abused by her foster parents.

It later emerged that the neighbours, the girl’s school and the girl herself had sounded the alarm about her treatment but that she had been left in the care of the couple. Health ministry inspector are now investigating what went wrong.

The girl has since woken from her coma but is unable to sit up or walk unaided and can’t talk. “ It is clear she will need intensive medical help for the rest of her life, the public prosecutor said.

Police found tie-wraps and an electric collar in the couple’s home in Vlaardingen as well as a cage in which they locked the girl, the prosecutor said.