Harrowing Final Moments of Girl, 9, Randomly Murdered While Playing Hula Hoop
Lilia Valutyte, a nine-year-old girl, was brutally murdered in a random attack while playing with her hula hoop outside her mother's embroidery shop in Boston, Lincolnshire. The tragic incident occurred on July 28, 2022, at approximately 6:15pm on Fountain Lane, a quiet street where Lilia had been enjoying time with a friend.
Attack and Immediate Aftermath
Deividas Skebas, aged 26, approached the children as they played, stabbing Lilia once in the chest with a paring knife he had recently purchased from a local shop. Her mother, Lina Savickiene, heard Lilia call out her name and rushed into the street to find her daughter still clutching the hula hoop before collapsing into her arms. "She was getting pale. She collapsed in my hands. I saw the wounds, started to cover them. I just got scared, started to shout for somebody to help me," Mrs Savickiene recounted in her emotional statement to the court.
Despite the swift arrival of an off-duty police officer and medical professionals, Lilia succumbed to her injuries within an hour of the stabbing. The attack was described as completely unprovoked, with Skebas having no prior connection to the victim or her family.
Investigation and Legal Proceedings
Skebas was arrested at his home two days after the attack, and the murder weapon was discovered hidden behind a radiator. Initially deemed unfit to stand trial due to mental health issues, he was transferred to Rampton high security hospital. In July 2023, a jury determined that Skebas had carried out the killing, and after improvements in his mental health, he faced a full murder trial earlier this year.
During the trial, three psychiatrists assessed Skebas, all agreeing that he suffered from schizophrenia and exhibited symptoms of psychosis on the day of the murder. However, the prosecution rejected claims of diminished responsibility, arguing that the killing was "deliberate and planned." Prosecutor Christopher Donnellan KC described it as a "wicked act" and emphasized that Skebas knew he was "killing a child."
Sentencing and Family Impact
On February 25, Skebas was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 25 years. He appeared via video link from Rampton Hospital, showing no emotion as the verdict was delivered. The court heard heart-wrenching impact statements from Lilia's family, including her stepfather, Aurelijus Savickas, who said, "I loved her as my own. She was a beautiful soul with a strong character and strong personality."
Judge Mr Justice Choudhury noted that Skebas had used drugs such as cannabis and amphetamines, which likely exacerbated his schizophrenia. While sentenced to life, the judge indicated that "alternative arrangements may have to be made" due to Skebas's current mental health state. The jury was excused from further service for ten years in recognition of the case's difficulty.
Community and Police Response
Detective Chief Inspector Jennifer Lovett of Lincolnshire Police highlighted the prolonged investigation, stating, "It's taken us three-and-a-half years to bring Skebas to justice. It's not lost on me how difficult that must have been for Lilia's family." She described it as one of the force's most high-profile investigations, underscoring the profound impact on the local community.
Lilia would have turned 13 this week, a poignant reminder of the life cut short by this senseless act of violence. Her family continues to grapple with the immense loss, as expressed in their statements of enduring pain and grief.
