SHEFFIELD, England — Four Slovakian nationals accused of murdering a newborn girl, found stabbed and left on top of a washing machine in a Sheffield outhouse, will stand trial next April, a judge has ruled, after a hearing in which two of the defendants reportedly sobbed throughout the proceedings.
What investigators say happened
The baby, referred to in court only as Baby S, was found wrapped in a towel and inside a blue bag in an outhouse at a property in Holywell Heights, in the Wincobank area of the city, prosecutors told Sheffield Magistrates Court. The baby had suffered 33 wounds from 15 separate stabbings, according to prosecutor Luke Hopkinson.
Who is charged
Andrea Skopova, 20 — identified in court as the baby’s mother — along with Peter Horvath, 19, Peter Horvath, 38, and Nina Horvathova, 37, face murder charges, as well as charges of causing or allowing the death of a child and perverting the course of justice by allegedly cleaning the crime scene. A 15-year-old girl also appeared in court, charged with perverting the course of justice; she cannot be named due to her age. Two other women, 26 and 37, arrested separately on suspicion of murder, remain on bail as the investigation continues.
The four adult defendants sat in the glass-fronted dock at Sheffield Crown Court, flanked by seven security guards and assisted by two Slovak interpreters, while members of the public watched from the gallery.
What the charges mean
A murder charge requires prosecutors to prove a defendant unlawfully killed another person with intent to kill or cause serious harm. Causing or allowing the death of a child can apply to anyone who had frequent contact with the child and either caused the death or failed to protect the child from a known risk of serious harm. Perverting the course of justice covers allegedly obstructing a police investigation, such as tampering with a crime scene.
What’s next
Judge Sarah Wright set the trial date for April 12, 2027, expected to run six to seven weeks. The four adult defendants were remanded into custody; the 15-year-old was remanded into youth custody. The case returns to Sheffield Crown Court on Oct. 2 for a further hearing ahead of trial.
All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
Sources: BBC News, ITV News, Yorkshire Post, Irish News.
