Lilia Valutyte: Nine-year-old died from stab wound to chest, inquest finds

Deividas Skebas, 22, is charged with murdering Lilia

Lilia Valutyte was stabbed to death on Fountain Lane (Handout)

Nine-year-old Lilia Valutyte died from a stab wound to the chest, an inquest opening has heard.

Lincolnshire Coroner’s Court was told the schoolgirl’s death was confirmed at Boston’s Pilgrim Hospital and she was formally identified by her stepfather, Aurelijus Savickas.

Deividas Skebas, 22, is charged with murdering Lilia on 28 July in Boston and was remanded into custody by a judge at Lincoln Crown Court on Monday.

Acting senior coroner Paul Smith adjourned the inquest until the conclusion of criminal proceedings.

New CCTV footage showed the nine-year-old playing hula hoop with her younger sister before she was fatally stabbed around 6.15pm on Fountain Lane.

Deividas Skebas arrives at Lincoln Magistrates’ Court on Monday (PA)

Police officers and paramedics run towards Lilia after the attack as onlookers stare in shock and are cleared away from the area, the video shows.

A toy pram was left at the scene where the pair had been playing, according to locals.

During his two-minute court appearance, Skebas, 22, spoke only to confirm his name, address and date of birth.

Skebas, who was wearing a grey tracksuit, was told by district judge Peter Deits “the offence you are facing is the most serious offence anyone can face in court”.

Lincolnshire Police previously said Lilia’s parents are being supported by specially trained officers.

Lilia was playing with her younger sister in a quiet street moments before she was stabbed in a lane (Screengrab)

Donna Burton, 57, a hairdresser, who works at a salon overlooking the scene of the incident, saw Lilia playing hide and seek with her little sister at 5.50pm on Thursday, about 30 minutes before she was killed.

She told The Times: “They were just playing, one was hiding, playing hide and seek the older one, and she popped out, with the little one was looking for her, and they were just really happy. It’s really sad.”

Nine-year-old Marko Losif was in the same class as Lilia and told Sky News that she was “always really enthusiastic and always happy”. He said that she always looked after other people.

Marko’s father, Alin, said young Lilia’s death was “terrifying”.

Skebas is set to reappear in court on 19 September for a plea hearing.