A man with schizophrenia fatally stabbed a nine-year-old girl while she was playing with a hula hoop on a street in Lincolnshire. The incident occurred on July 28, 2022, as Deividas Skebas attacked Lilia Valutyte on Fountain Lane in Boston while her mother was working nearby. Skebas, a 23-year-old who had recently returned to the UK from Lithuania, denies the murder but admits to manslaughter due to diminished responsibility.

During the trial at Lincoln Crown Court, it was established that Skebas was responsible for Lilia’s death, but the jury must determine his mental state at the time of the incident. Prosecutor Christopher Donnellan KC presented the case, emphasizing that the deliberate act of killing the child was a heinous crime, indicating Skebas was aware of the wrongfulness of his actions.

Lilia was playing on the street in Boston town center when Skebas, armed with a knife he had concealed, approached her after waiting for pedestrians to clear the area. He swiftly stabbed the girl through her heart, causing her to fall to the ground before fleeing. Despite an off-duty police officer initially pursuing Skebas, attention quickly turned to attempting to save Lilia’s life, but tragically, she succumbed to her injuries within an hour.

Evidence revealed that Skebas had purchased a knife two days prior to the attack and had a history of mental health issues, including schizophrenia. The court heard that Skebas believed he was under external control, mentioning Nasa and a microchip, and was deemed unfit to stand trial at the time. Experts confirmed his schizophrenia diagnosis and highlighted his previous violent incident involving pepper spray in 2020 in the UK.

Having returned to the UK in July 2022, Skebas’ reasons for coming back remain unclear, possibly related to employment. The trial is ongoing as the court examines the circumstances surrounding the tragic event.