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

She had only been alive for a matter of hours.

Baby S was born at 37 weeks in the early hours of Sunday, August 30, at an address in Sheffield.

But by the time the case reached court, prosecutors revealed a striking detail about the newborn’s family.

The identity of her father is still unknown.

And despite being her mother’s boyfriend, Peter Horvath Jr, 19, is not believed to be Baby S’s father, the court was told.

That revelation came as prosecutors outlined a devastating series of allegations surrounding the newborn’s final hours.

Four adults — including Baby S’s mother — have been charged with murder.

A 15-year-old girl has also been charged in connection with the case.

All five remain in custody.

BORN AT 37 WEEKS

According to prosecutors, Baby S was born in the early hours of Sunday, August 30 at an address in Sheffield.

Her mother, Andrea Skopova, 20, subsequently went to hospital.

Medical staff recognised that she had recently given birth and alerted police shortly after 5am, according to the prosecution case.

Officers attended the mother’s address following concerns for the safety of an infant.

But the baby was not there.

Police then went to another property in Holywell Heights, Wincobank, where they made the discovery that would trigger a major murder investigation.

THE DISCOVERY IN THE OUTHOUSE

Baby S was found inside an outhouse at the property.

Prosecutors told the court that the newborn had been wrapped in a towel and placed inside a blue bag, before being left on top of a washing machine.

A post-mortem examination established that she had died from stab wounds.

The court heard that Baby S suffered 33 wounds from 15 separate stabbings, affecting her face and torso, including the front and back of her body.

The details have shocked the local community, with flowers and tributes later appearing near the property.

But the allegations have not yet been tested at trial.

FOUR ADULTS CHARGED

Baby S’s mother, Andrea Skopova, has been charged with murder alongside three members of the Horvath family.

They are:

• Andrea Skopova, 20
• Peter Horvath Jr, 19
• Peter Horvath Sr, 38
• Nina Horvathova, 37

All four are Slovakian nationals.

They are also charged with causing or allowing the death of a child and perverting the course of justice, with prosecutors alleging that steps were taken to conceal what happened.

Horvath Jr is Skopova’s boyfriend and the son of Peter Horvath Sr and Nina Horvathova.

But in court, prosecutor Luke Hopkinson confirmed that the identity of Baby S’s biological father remains unknown.

He also said Horvath Jr is not believed to be the father.

That unanswered question has become one of the most striking details in an already complex investigation.

A FIFTH PERSON IN COURT

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

She cannot be named because of her age.

The teenager appeared alongside the four adult defendants at Sheffield Crown Court on Thursday.

All five defendants confirmed their identities but did not enter pleas during the brief hearing.

The court heard that Skopova and the teenage defendant cried during the proceedings, while members of their families watched from the public gallery.

TWO OTHER WOMEN REMAIN ON BAIL

The investigation has not ended with the five people now facing charges.

Two other women, aged 26 and 37, were arrested on suspicion of murder and remain on bail while police continue their inquiries.

South Yorkshire Police have urged the public not to speculate about the case or share information online that could interfere with the criminal proceedings.

The Crown Prosecution Service has issued a similar warning, stressing that the defendants are entitled to a fair trial.

THE FAMILY CONNECTION

The relationships between the defendants have added another layer to the case.

Skopova is the mother of Baby S.

She was also in a relationship with Peter Horvath Jr.

Horvath Jr is the son of Peter Horvath Sr and Nina Horvathova, meaning three of the adult defendants are members of the same family.

Yet the baby’s biological father remains unidentified publicly.

It is a detail that would ordinarily be among the most basic facts surrounding a newborn.

Instead, it remains an unanswered question as the criminal investigation moves forward.

THE CASE NOW HEADS TOWARD A MAJOR TRIAL

Judge Sarah Wright has set the trial to begin on April 12, 2027.

The proceedings are expected to last approximately six to seven weeks.

All five defendants have been remanded in custody, with their next hearing scheduled for October 2, 2026.

The eventual trial will have to examine what happened after Baby S was born, who was present, the circumstances surrounding her injuries and the roles prosecutors allege each defendant played.

For now, none of the four adults has been convicted of murder, and the 15-year-old has not been convicted of the charge against her.

QUESTIONS THAT REMAIN

Baby S’s short life has left investigators facing a series of unanswered questions.

Who was her father?

What happened during the hours after she was born?

Who was responsible for the injuries described in court?

And what happened inside the property before police arrived?

Those questions will ultimately have to be answered through evidence presented during the legal process.

For a baby who had only just entered the world, the circumstances surrounding her final hours have already become the centre of one of Sheffield’s most disturbing ongoing criminal investigations.

And one of the most basic facts about her family — the identity of her father — remains a mystery.