Funeral held for newborn girl allegedly murdered by four people including mother
A funeral has been held for a newborn girl who was allegedly murdered by four people including her mother.
Maria Skopova was stabbed to death and found wrapped in a towel on top of a washing machine in the outhouse of a property in Sheffield.
Maria’s mother Andrea Skopova, her boyfriend Peter Horvath Jnr, and his parents, Peter Horvath Snr and Nina Horvathova, have all been charged with murdering her.
The newborn was initially referred to as Baby S by police following the arrests, but later named at an inquest opening as Maria.
On Monday a funeral was held for Maria at St Marie’s Catholic Cathedral in Sheffield.
Mourners gathered for the service, which was conducted mainly in Slovakian, before a further private family service at a cemetery in Sheffield.
Police said the five people charged in connection with Maria’s death would not be attending the funeral.
Last month, a court heard that the baby’s body was found wrapped in a towel and in a blue bag in an outbuilding in the Wincobank area of Sheffield on August 30.
Prosecutors said she had suffered 33 wounds from 15 “separate stabbings”.
Skopova, 20, Horvath Jnr, 19, Horvath Snr, 38, and Horvathova, 37, were all charged with murder.
The defendants, who are all Slovakian nationals, were also charged with causing or allowing the death of a child, and perverting the course of justice by cleaning the scene of the alleged crime.
They were all remanded in custody.
A 15-year-old girl, who cannot be named because of her age, is charged with the same perverting the course of justice offence.
A court heard that Skopova was the baby’s mother and the father is unknown.
Skopova is the girlfriend of Horvath Jnr, who is the son of the other two adult defendants, but he is not believed to be the father.
Their trial is due to start in April next year.