BABY S WAS BORN AT 37 WEEKS — BUT ONE OF THE MOST BASIC DETAILS ABOUT HER FAMILY REMAINS A MYSTERY

She had been alive for only a matter of hours.

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

Her mother, Andrea Skopova, 20, later arrived at hospital after giving birth.

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

What officers discovered would soon trigger a major murder investigation.

But as the case reached court, prosecutors revealed another striking detail about the newborn’s family.

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, the court was told.

Now four adults are facing trial accused of murdering the newborn.

A fifth defendant, a 15-year-old girl, is also facing a criminal charge connected to the investigation.

None of the defendants has been convicted.

THE MORNING EVERYTHING CHANGED

According to evidence outlined in court, Baby S was born during the early hours of August 30 at an address in Sheffield.

Skopova subsequently presented at hospital.

Medical staff alerted police after recognising that she had recently given birth.

Officers went to investigate concerns about the safety of an infant.

But the baby was not found at the address where police initially attended.

Investigators then went to another property in Holywell Heights, Wincobank.

There, they made the discovery that would change the case.

Baby S was found inside an outbuilding.

She had reportedly been wrapped in a towel and placed inside a blue bag, which was found on top of a washing machine.

Emergency services were unable to save her.

A forensic post-mortem later confirmed that she had died as a result of stab wounds.

33 WOUNDS — 15 SEPARATE STABBINGS

The details revealed during the first court hearing were devastating.

Prosecutor Luke Hopkinson told Sheffield Magistrates’ Court that Baby S had suffered 33 wounds from 15 separate stabbings.

The injuries were to her face and torso, front and back.

The court also heard that a doctor had concluded the baby was alive when the injuries were inflicted.

A potential weapon has been recovered and is being examined by investigators.

Police have also obtained CCTV footage as part of the ongoing investigation.

These details form part of the prosecution case and have not yet been tested during a full trial.

FOUR PEOPLE ACCUSED OF MURDER

Four adults have been charged with the murder of Baby S.

They are:

Andrea Skopova, 20

Peter Horvath Jr, 19

Peter Horvath Sr, 38

Nina Horvathova, 37

All four are Slovakian nationals.

Skopova is understood to be Baby S’s mother.

Horvath Jr is Skopova’s current boyfriend and the son of the other two adult defendants.

But prosecutors have made clear that Horvath Jr is not believed to be Baby S’s father, whose identity remains unknown.

The four adults are also charged with causing or allowing the death of a child and perverting the course of justice, with the latter allegation relating to steps allegedly taken to conceal the crime, including cleaning the scene.

These are allegations that will be examined at trial.

A FIFTH DEFENDANT — AGED JUST 15

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

Her identity cannot legally be reported because of her age.

She appeared in court alongside the four adult defendants.

During the proceedings, the teenager was visibly distressed and reportedly sobbed in the dock.

Skopova also cried throughout the hearing.

The emotional scenes continued as family members watched from the public gallery.

THE COURTROOM WAS PACKED WITH FAMILY

When the five defendants appeared at Sheffield Crown Court, the atmosphere was tense.

They sat together in the glass-fronted dock while family members watched from the gallery.

According to reports, 26 members of their family were present.

Seven security guards and other court staff surrounded the defendants, while two Slovak interpreters assisted during proceedings.

The emotional impact was visible inside the courtroom.

Skopova and the 15-year-old defendant were both reported to have sobbed during the hearing.

One woman in the public gallery reportedly became so distressed that the judge ordered the public seating area to be cleared as the defendants left the dock.

TWO OTHER WOMEN REMAIN ON BAIL

The investigation has not ended with the five people now before the court.

Two other women, aged 26 and 37, were previously arrested on suspicion of murder.

Neither has been charged.

Both remain on bail while police continue their inquiries.

South Yorkshire Police Detective Chief Inspector Tom Woodward described the case as an intricate investigation and thanked the local community for its support.

Police have also urged members of the public not to speculate online.

Investigators are particularly concerned about information being shared publicly that could interfere with future legal proceedings.

THE UNANSWERED QUESTION ABOUT BABY S’S FATHER

Perhaps one of the most unusual details to emerge from the hearings concerns something that would normally be one of the most basic facts about a newborn.

Who was Baby S’s father?

The court was told that the father is currently unknown.

Prosecutors also confirmed that Horvath Jr, although Skopova’s boyfriend, is not believed to be the baby’s father.

The identity of the father has not been publicly established.

That detail adds another unanswered question to a case already filled with uncertainty.

Investigators are now attempting to establish exactly what happened in the hours between Baby S’s birth and the discovery of her body.

A TRIAL THAT COULD LAST SEVEN WEEKS

The case has now moved toward a full Crown Court trial.

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

It is expected to last between six and seven weeks.

All five defendants were remanded in custody, with the next hearing scheduled for October 2, 2026.

The trial is expected to examine the prosecution’s evidence against each defendant, including forensic evidence, CCTV and the circumstances surrounding the discovery of Baby S.

A COMMUNITY LEFT HEARTBROKEN

Outside the court and around the property where Baby S was discovered, the reaction has been one of grief.

Flowers have been placed near the police cordon as members of the community mourn the death of a child whose life had barely begun.

For investigators, however, the work is far from over.

They must establish what happened after Baby S was born, how she came to be at the Holywell Heights property, what role — if any — each defendant played, and whether the allegations can ultimately be proved in court.

For now, the case remains exactly that: a criminal case based on allegations.

The four adults charged with murder have not been convicted, and the 15-year-old defendant has not been found guilty of any offence.

But one fact is already impossible to escape.

Baby S was born at 37 weeks.

Within hours, she was gone.

And as the case heads toward trial, investigators are still trying to answer some of the most fundamental questions surrounding the newborn’s short life — including one as basic as the identity of her father.