Killing of Lilia Valutyte

On 28 July 2022 at around 6:20pm local time, Lilia Valutyte, a nine-year-old English girl, was stabbed in Boston, Lincolnshire, England outside an embroidery shop.[1][2] She was later pronounced dead at Boston Pilgrim Hospital.[3] Before the attack it is understood that Valutyte was playing with hula hoops with her younger sister.[4] Deividas Skebas, a Lithuanian national, has been charged with her murder.[5][6]

Killing of Lilia Valutyte
LocationBoston, Lincolnshire, England
Date28 July 2022
c. 6:20 pm BST (UTC+01)
Attack type
Stabbing
Deaths1
AccusedDeividas Skebas
ChargesMurder

Background

Lilia Valutyte was born on 2 February 2013 at Boston Pilgrim Hospital and lived in Boston.[7] Valutyte also had a younger sister.[4] She studied at Boston Pioneers Academy and was a pupil at Carlton Road Primary School prior to her death.[8] Valutyte also enjoyed Harry Potter.[9]

Killing

On 28 July 2022 at around 6:20pm local time,[2] nine-year-old Lilia Valutyte was playing with hula hoops outside an embroidery shop on Fountains Lane, Boston with her younger sister before she was stabbed.[1][4] A man was seen on CCTV walking down Wormgate and Fountains Lane five minutes before the attack took place.[10] Valutyte's mother was just yards away when the attack took place and heard someone screaming "mom." She went outside to find her youngest daughter standing just metres away from her big sister who was bleeding to death.[11] Valutyte was taken to Boston Pilgrim Hospital where she later died.[3]

On 30 July 2022, a 22-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of the murder of Lilia Valutyte.[12] Two other people were also arrested but were released with no further action.[13] On the evening of 31 July 2022, 22-year-old Deividas Skebas was charged with the murder.[12] On 1 August 2022, Skebas appeared at Lincoln Crown Court, he did not enter a plea and was remanded into custody.[12] In August 2022, Skebas was attacked by prisoners at HM Prison Wakefield, West Yorkshire with a prison shank and was airlifted to hospital.[14]

Skebas was due to appear at Lincoln Crown Court for another hearing on 19 September 2022,[15] however on 23 September 2022 this was adjourned to allow reports to be carried out, Skebas did not enter a plea.[16] Another hearing took place at the same court on 9 December 2022, and again, Skebas did not enter a plea and the case was adjourned to allow additional medical assessments to be carried out.[17] An additional hearing for Skebas was held on 19 January 2023. Skebas did not attend the hearing. The case was again adjourned.[18] On 22 February 2023, a hearing took place at Lincoln Crown Court in Skebas's absence. The case was again adjourned until 28 February 2023 when a hearing was meant to take place in front of a High Court judge.[8] Skebas was also due to stand trial on this day. However, Judge Simon Hirst vacated the hearing until 17 April 2023.[19]

On 17 April 2023, it was ruled that Deividas Skebas was unfit to enter a plea or to stand a traditional trial. There will now be a trial of the facts before a jury. The trial will be to determine whether Skebas committed the act of stabbing Valutyte, though the outcome will not result in a criminal conviction. Skebas will not be required to take part in these proceedings or be present in court. The trial is expected to last two days and will begin on 10 July 2023.[9]

Reactions

Priti Patel, the then Home Secretary tweeted that she was "appalled" by the killing.[20]

Matt Warman, MP for Boston and Skegness tweeted: "it is vital that those responsible are brought to justice."[20]

Funeral

On 2 September 2022, Lilia Valutyte's funeral was held at St Botolph's Church, Boston. Her coffin was carried by a white horse-drawn carriage. Her small white coffin was covered in butterflies and was carried by pallbearers wearing pink ties. Flowers and other tributes were also left in memory of Valutyte.[21] Many teddy bears were also left in memory of Valutyte. It was later revealed that Valutyte's mother had donated these teddy bears to families in Lithuania and to Ukrainian refugees.[22]

Memorials

In February 2023, Valutyte's mother revealed that there were plans to build a memorial in memory of Valutyte. The memorial would be a child-sized metal sculpture of a girl playing with hula hoops, as this was what Valutyte was doing in her final moments. This memorial would be built in a memorial garden near Wormgate.[22] Valutyte is also remembered by a mosaic bearing her name and an image of an angel on public display in Dolphin Lane. The artwork is part of a large piece and also features the Baltic symbol of unity along with the phrase "Unity is Strength."[22]

Other events

In April 2023, it was reported that Lina Savickiene, Valutyte's mother, had been nominated to stand up as councillor for Boston as part of the Boston Independents group. Savickiene had attended a meeting relating to public safety in the town and had encouraged the community to "come together" following the death of her daughter.[23] In May 2023, it was reported that Savickiene had been elected as Boston councillor following the 2023 local elections.[24]

References
  1. "Lilia Valutyte: Stabbed girl, 9, died of chest wound - inquest". BBC News. 4 August 2022. Retrieved 12 March 2023.
  2. Laver, Adam (17 April 2023). "Man deemed unfit to plead over murder of Lincs girl". LincolnshireLive. Retrieved 19 April 2023.
  3. Kingsley, Thomas (4 August 2022). "Lilia Valutyte, 9, died from stab wound to chest, inquest finds". Independent.co.uk. Retrieved 12 March 2023.
  4. Parekh, Marcus (4 August 2022). "Lilia Valutyte: CCTV emerges of murdered girl's final moments as she played hula hoop with younger sister". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 12 March 2023.
  5. "Lilia Valutyte: Man accused of murdering girl, 9, appears in court". BBC News. 1 August 2022. Retrieved 12 March 2023.
  6. Cooper, Matthew (31 July 2022). "Lithuanian national charged with murder of nine-year-old Lilia Valutyte". Independent. Retrieved 12 March 2023.
  7. Turner, Julian (4 August 2022). "Nine-year-old Lilia Valutyte died from stab wound to the chest". Nottingham Post. Retrieved 12 March 2023.
  8. Whitelam, Paul (22 February 2023). "Man accused of murdering 9-year-old Lilia Valutyte in Boston has case adjourned". Lincolnshire Live. Retrieved 12 March 2023.
  9. "Lilia Valutyte: Deividas Skebas unfit to plead to murder, court told". BBC News. 17 April 2023. Retrieved 17 April 2023.
  10. Hardy, Jack (1 August 2022). "Lilia Valutyte stabbing: Deividas Skebas appears in court charged with nine-year-old girl's murder". The Telegraph. Retrieved 12 March 2023.
  11. Giordano, Chiara (7 August 2022). "Lilia Valutyte: Mother of girl, 9, stabbed in street relives moment she found daughter bleeding to death". Independent. Retrieved 12 March 2023.
  12. "Man, 22, charged with murder of Lilia Valutyte". Lincolnshire Police. 1 August 2022. Retrieved 12 March 2023.
  13. Osbourne, Samuel (1 August 2022). "Man accused of murdering nine-year-old Lilia Valutyte appears in court". Sky News. Retrieved 12 March 2023.
  14. Dresch, Matthew (27 August 2022). "Man, 22, accused of murdering Lilia Valutyte, 9, is assaulted in jail attack". Mirror. Retrieved 12 March 2023.
  15. Payne, Josh (1 August 2022). "Lilia Valutyte: Man appears in crown court charged with murdering girl, 9, who was stabbed in street". Independent. Retrieved 12 March 2023.
  16. Vernalls, Richard (23 September 2022). "Trial date set for man accused of murdering nine-year-old Lilia Valutyte". Independent. Retrieved 12 March 2023.
  17. Laver, Adam (9 December 2022). "Court case against man accused of murdering Lilia Valutyte, 9, adjourned for further medical assessments". Lincolnshire Live. Retrieved 12 March 2023.
  18. Whitelam, Paul (19 January 2023). "Case of man accused of murdering Lilia Valutyte in Boston is adjourned". Lincolnshire Live. Retrieved 12 March 2023.
  19. "Lilia Valutyte: Trial of murder accused adjourned until April". BBC News. 24 February 2023. Retrieved 12 March 2023.
  20. Laver, Adam (29 July 2022). "Priti Patel offers support for Lincolnshire Police's murder investigation into nine-year-old's death". Lincolnshire Live. Retrieved 12 March 2023.
  21. "Lilia Valutyte: Funeral held for Boston stabbing victim". BBC News. 2 September 2022. Retrieved 12 March 2023.
  22. Whitelam, Paul (8 February 2023). "Plan for Lilia Valutyte sculpture of her playing in 'last minutes'". LincolnshireLive. Retrieved 15 April 2023.
  23. Mann, Sebastian; Jaines, Daniel (6 April 2023). "Lilia Valutyte: Mother of 9-year-old to stand as councillor". LincolnshireLive. Retrieved 15 April 2023.
  24. "Local elections 2023: Mum of stabbing victim Lilia Valutyte elected as Boston councillor". ITV News. 5 May 2023. Retrieved 10 May 2023.
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