A woman broke down in tears as she appeared in court accused of murdering her newborn daughter, who prosecutors allege was stabbed repeatedly before her body was concealed at a property in Sheffield.

Andrea Skopova, 20, is accused of killing her baby daughter, known in court only as Baby S, after the newborn was discovered dead on Sunday at a property in Holywell Heights, Wincobank, Sheffield.

Skopova appeared at Sheffield Crown Court alongside four other defendants, including her boyfriend and his parents, as the case was brought before the court.

Newborn allegedly suffered 33 injuries

Prosecutors allege that Baby S suffered 33 wounds to her face, torso, front and back.

The injuries were said to have been inflicted during 15 separate stabbings, according to the prosecution.

Earlier this week, prosecutor Luke Hopkinson told magistrates that Skopova was the newborn’s mother.

The identity of the baby’s father remains unknown, and prosecutors do not believe he was Skopova’s boyfriend, Peter Horvath Jr, 19.

Baby S was reportedly discovered wrapped in a towel and placed inside a blue bag in an outbuilding at the Holywell Heights property.

Five defendants appear in the dock

Skopova appeared alongside Horvath Jr, his father Peter Horvath Sr, 38, his mother Nina Horvathova, 37, and a 15-year-old girl who cannot be named because of her age.

All five defendants are Slovakian nationals.

The four adults are charged with murder, causing or allowing the death of a child, and perverting the course of justice. The charges relating to perverting the course of justice allege that the defendants cleaned the scene.

The 15-year-old girl is charged with perverting the course of justice.

All five sat together in the glass-fronted dock during the hearing, watched by around 26 family members in the public gallery.

Relatives left in tears after hearing

The emotional proceedings visibly affected those inside the courtroom.

Several relatives were seen crying, while one woman became so distressed as the defendants were being taken away that Judge Sarah Wright ordered the public gallery to be cleared.

The court later set a trial date for April 12 next year, with proceedings expected to last between six and seven weeks.

All five defendants were remanded in custody until their next hearing on October 2.

Meanwhile, two other women, aged 26 and 37, who were arrested on suspicion of murder, remain on bail.

The allegations against all the defendants remain matters for the court, and they have not been convicted of the charges.