Latest updates on the Sheffield baby mu@rder case: Identity of the child’s father revealed
A newborn baby girl, known only as Baby S, was found dead with horrific injuries at a house in the Wincobank area of Sheffield on 30 August 2026, sparking a major murder investigation that has shocked the local community.
Police were called to a property on Holywell Heights just before 6am after hospital staff raised urgent concerns about the safety of an infant. The baby’s mother, 20-year-old Andrea Skopova, had given birth at the address in the early hours of that Sunday at around 37 weeks gestation and later attended hospital. When officers arrived, they discovered the infant’s body in an outhouse, wrapped in a towel and placed inside a blue bag on top of a washing machine.
A forensic post-mortem examination confirmed the cause of death as multiple stab wounds. The newborn had suffered 33 injuries from 15 separate stabbings, with wounds to her face and torso, both front and back. Medical evidence indicated she was alive when the attack occurred.
Four people have been charged with the baby’s murder, along with causing or allowing the death of a child and perverting the course of justice by allegedly cleaning the scene. They are Andrea Skopova, 20; her boyfriend Peter Horvath Jnr, 19; and his parents, Peter Horvath Snr, 38, and Nina Horvathova, 37. All are Slovakian nationals. A 15-year-old girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, faces a charge of perverting the course of justice. Two other women, aged 26 and 37, who were initially arrested on suspicion of murder, remain on bail.
In court, prosecutors confirmed Skopova as the mother. They stated that the baby’s father is unknown and that Peter Horvath Jnr is not believed to be the father, despite being Skopova’s current partner. This detail has added a further layer of complexity to the case, leaving key questions about the circumstances surrounding the birth and the child’s parentage unanswered at this stage.
The four adults and the teenage girl appeared first at Sheffield Magistrates’ Court on 2 September and then at Sheffield Crown Court the following day. They were remanded in custody. A provisional trial date has been set for 12 April 2027, expected to last six to seven weeks. The next hearing is scheduled for 2 October.
South Yorkshire Police have described the investigation as intricate and distressing for the officers involved and the wider community. Floral tributes and soft toys have been left near the scene as residents struggle to process the tragedy. Detectives continue to examine the events of that morning, including how the baby came to be found in the outhouse and the actions taken after the birth.
The case has drawn significant public attention due to the extreme nature of the injuries and the fact that a newborn was allegedly killed so soon after birth inside a family home. While the charges have been laid and the defendants remanded, many details remain under active investigation. The question of the father’s identity continues to stand out as one unresolved element in a case already marked by profound tragedy.
Authorities have urged anyone with information to come forward. The focus remains on securing justice for Baby S while the legal process moves forward.
