BABY S WAS BORN AT 37 WEEKS — THEN ONE OF THE MOST BASIC DETAILS ABOUT HER FAMILY WAS REVEALED IN COURT

Baby S had only just entered the world.

Born at 37 weeks in the early hours of Sunday, August 30, in Sheffield, the newborn girl lived for only a very short time before becoming the centre of a major criminal investigation.

Her mother, Andrea Skopova, 20, later went to hospital after giving birth.

Medical staff recognised that she had recently delivered a baby and contacted police shortly after 5am.

What investigators discovered next would lead to murder charges against four adults and a separate charge against a 15-year-old girl.

But when the case reached court, prosecutors revealed another detail that immediately raised questions.

The identity of Baby S’s father is still unknown.

And despite being Skopova’s boyfriend, Peter Horvath Jr, 19, is not believed to be the baby’s father, prosecutors told the court.

THE BABY WAS FOUND AT AN OUTBUILDING

Baby S was later found at an address in the Wincobank area of Sheffield.

According to evidence previously outlined in court, the newborn was discovered on top of a washing machine inside an outbuilding.

Prosecutors said she had suffered 33 wounds in 15 separate stabbings, affecting her face and torso, including the front and back of her body.

The circumstances surrounding the discovery have become a central part of the prosecution case.

The four adult defendants are accused not only of murder but also of causing or allowing the death of a child and perverting the course of justice.

The latter allegation relates to claims that steps were taken to conceal what had happened.

None of these allegations has been proven at trial.

FOUR ADULTS ARE ACCUSED

The four adults facing murder charges are:

Andrea Skopova, 20 — Baby S’s mother.

Peter Horvath Jr, 19 — Skopova’s current boyfriend.

Peter Horvath Sr, 38 — Horvath Jr’s father.

Nina Horvathova, 37 — Horvath Jr’s mother.

All four are Slovakian nationals, according to the court proceedings.

The family connection makes the case particularly complicated: Skopova was in a relationship with Horvath Jr, while Horvath Sr and Horvathova are his parents.

A FIFTH PERSON IS ALSO CHARGED

A 15-year-old girl has also been charged with perverting the course of justice.

Because she is under 18, she cannot be publicly identified.

She appeared at Sheffield Crown Court alongside the four adult defendants and was remanded in custody.

Two other women, aged 26 and 37, were previously arrested on suspicion of murder but remain on bail while the investigation continues.

THE DETAIL THAT STANDS OUT

Among all the disturbing allegations presented to the court, one fact is strikingly simple:

Investigators still do not know who Baby S’s father is.

The prosecutor specifically told the court that the father’s identity remains unknown.

Peter Horvath Jr is the baby’s mother’s boyfriend, but prosecutors said he is not believed to be the father.

That means one of the most fundamental details surrounding Baby S’s family remains unresolved as the criminal investigation continues.

THE CASE NOW MOVES TOWARD A FULL TRIAL

All five defendants have been remanded in custody.

Their next hearing is scheduled for October 2, 2026, while the murder trial is expected to begin on April 12, 2027.

The trial is currently expected to last approximately six to seven weeks.

Investigators are continuing to examine the evidence surrounding Baby S’s birth, the events that followed and the alleged actions of each defendant.

Police have also urged members of the public not to speculate about the case or post material online that could interfere with the legal proceedings.

For now, the court has heard the prosecution’s allegations — but the evidence has yet to be tested fully at trial.

And as the case moves forward, one question remains unanswered:

Who was Baby S’s father — and what happened during the short hours between her birth and the discovery that triggered the investigation?

Those are questions the court will ultimately have to examine.