Inquest opens into newborn Maria Skopova's death in Sheffield; four adults to stand trial for murder

An inquest into the death of newborn Maria Skopova was opened and adjourned on Thursday 1 October at Sheffield's Medico-Legal Centre, where she was named publicly; she had previously been referred to in court as Baby S. 1 2 Maria died on the day of her birth, 30 August, at Holywell Heights in the Wincobank area of Sheffield, and was found in an outhouse. 2 1 She had 33 wounds from 15 separate stabbings; prosecutor Luke Hopkinson told an earlier hearing the baby had been 'catastrophically' injured by a knife. 1

Senior coroner Tanyka Rawden adjourned the inquest until 25 March while criminal proceedings continue, saying she would then review the evidence gathered and decide how the inquest will proceed. 1 The coroner said emergency services were called and paramedics pronounced Maria dead; she was identified after death through police inquiries. 1 2 Her mother, Andrea Skopova, 20, a Slovak national of Robey Street, Grimesthorpe, is charged with murder along with Peter Horvath Jr, 19, Peter Horvath Sr, 38, and Nina Horvathova, 37, all of Holywell Heights; they appeared at Sheffield Crown Court last month. 1 2

All four are also charged with causing or allowing the death of a child and with perverting the course of justice by cleaning the scene; a 15-year-old girl who cannot be identified is charged with perverting the course of justice. 2 1 The Daily Mail reports the adults, all Slovakian nationals, were remanded in custody and the girl in youth custody, with a trial of up to seven weeks expected from 12 April. 1 Mr Hopkinson told the court Skopova is the baby's mother and the father is not known; she gave birth at 37 weeks and shortly afterwards went to hospital, where staff were 'confident' the baby was not in the womb, and police were alerted shortly after 5am. 1