A woman pleads guilty for killing a 7-year-old girl, Emily Jones, in front of her parents on Mother’s Day – yet denies the murder.
The 30-year-old woman from Albania, Eltiona Skana, is charged with criminal murder during a short hearing at Manchester Crown Court via videolink.
The 7-year-old little girl Emily was stabbed to death in a random attack when she and her parents were visiting Queen’s Park in Bolton on the 22nd of March.
The solicitor Sarah Barnes’s and credit manager Mark Jones’s only child, unfortunately, died shortly after the attack, which was described as unprovoked and random.
Emily was taken to a nearby hospital, Salford Royal Hospital. The medics tried their best to save her life but tragically pronounced her dead at 3:56 PM.
Skana was arrested on suspicion of killing Emily and imprisoned ever since.
The Albanian woman claimed not guilty to the charge of murdering a child at Queen’s Park on the 22nd of March.
Michael Brady, the prosecutor, asked the judge, Mr. Justice Henshaw, to delay the hearing for seven days for prosecution lawyers to review the plea.
Mr. Justice Henshaw approved the adjournment, adding that the matter would progress on the basis of a ‘full-blown trial’, scheduled to begin on the 23rd of November.
Speaking at the recent hearing, Judge Richard Mansell QC, addressed Emily’s father, saying that he can’t imagine the pain that Mark and Sarah are going through at the moment. He continued, the parents have his personal, deepest sympathy, and he is sure the deepest sympathy of everyone involved in the court process. This case is clearly one that has a high priority, the judge added.
Sarah Barnes, Emily’s mother, just days after her daughter’s loss made a fundraising page and the page has received more than £20,000 in donations.
Mr. Jones showed up at today’s hearing, however, Ms. Barnes did not. A further hearing is scheduled in the next seven days.