An image has been published by Russian prosecutors of the so-called "Mowgli child" found shut inside a flat he had never left, with no schooling, no toys and only bread to eat.

The boy, named only as Artem, was discovered in the city of Krasnodar, a provincial capital in southern Russia, on 27th May.

He had spent all eight years of his life inside the apartment with his mother and grandmother, who allegedly never took him outside.

He had never been to school, received any medical care, or even taken a bath in over a year.

Officials said the flat was full of filth, rotting food, and cockroaches, and reeked of faeces.

There was no bed, toys, or even clothes for the boy, who was found in a state of severe neglect.

Local media revealed he was suffering from an undisclosed disability and was in urgent need of medical attention.

He has now been placed in a rehabilitation centre where he is receiving care and treatment.

The boy’s 37-year-old mother and 69-year-old grandmother are under criminal investigation for child abuse and neglect.

Investigators said they acted on an anonymous tip-off from a concerned citizen.

A spokesperson for the regional prosecutor’s office said: “The boy had never left the apartment. He had not been to a medical facility, a school or a kindergarten.”

Neighbours said they had no idea a child was even living in the flat, which they believed was home to just the two women.

One neighbour said: “I once saw the mother and grandmother standing by the garages. They were hiding the boy behind them. They looked strange and unkempt.”

Officials are continuing to investigate how the boy was able to remain hidden for so long.

(MJ Leidig/newsX)