An inquest has opened into the death of a baby girl found dead in an outhouse who had only just been born. Little Maria Skopova - previously referred to as Baby S in court - suffered 33 wounds from 15 separate stabbings.
She died on the day of her birth in Holywell Heights, in the Wincobank area of Sheffield, South Yorkshire, on 30 August, the inquest opening heard on Thursday.
Inquest adjourned amid criminal proceedings
Senior coroner Tanyka Rawden told Sheffield's Medico-Legal Centre that she was adjourning the inquest until March 25 while there were ongoing criminal proceedings.
Two men and two women are due to stand trial in April, accused of murdering Maria.
Charges and court appearances
The baby's mother Andrea Skopova, 20, Peter Horvath, 19, Peter Horvath, 38, and Nina Horvathova, 37, appeared at Sheffield Crown Court last month charged with murder.
A 15-year-old girl also appeared in court charged with perverting the course of justice. The girl sobbed in the dock as representations were made about whether she should be released on bail.
Horvath Jnr, Horvath Snr and Horvathova, all of Holywell Heights, and Skopova, of Robey Street in Grimesthorpe, are 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. The court was previously told that Maria had been found in an outhouse at the property.
Emergency services at the scene
The coroner said today that emergency services were called, paramedics attended and they sadly pronounced Maria deceased.
