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Two years on, brutal murder of little Emily Jones still haunts a community

Eltiona Skana, 31, attacked little Emily Grace Jones while the latter was riding her scooter nearby by her father Mark Jones in Queen's Park, Bolton

It's been two years since a seven-year-old girl was stabbed to death by a schizophrenic woman on Mother's Day.

Eltiona Skana, 31, attacked little Emily Grace Jones when the latter was riding her scooter nearby by her father Mark Jones in Queen's Park, Bolton, Greater Manchester, on March 22, 2020. Skana admitted manslaughter by diminished responsibility and was given a life sentence with a minimum term of ten years and eight months. The minimum term was increased from eight years last year after the sentencing judge, Justice Wall, admitted to making an error in calculating the term.

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Skana's lawyers appealed the sentence saying the minimum term was too long and that their client should have only received a hospital order. However, the Court of Appeal in London dismissed the appeal last month. Devastated father Mark told the Manchester Evening News following the decision, "I'm more relieved than happy, but I think justice and common sense prevailed." He added that Skana "needs to be locked up for the rest of her life."

The Jones family was at Queen's Park in Bolton on March 22, 2020, which was Mother's Day in the UK. Emily was riding her scooter when she spotted her mother Sarah Barnes out jogging. She was reportedly calling out to her mother as she scooted past the park bench where Skana was sitting alone with a craft knife. The suspect got up from the bench, grabbed Emily and sliced her throat before fleeing the scene.

The police coroner's officer Rebecca Gardner noted how Skana stabbed Emily "in the neck, causing catastrophic injury."  The victim "was taken to Salford Royal Hospital, but despite best efforts to save Emily her death was diagnosed at 15:56 hours that day." Coroner Alan Walsh stated, "In my 20 years as a coroner this is one of the most tragic deaths that I have dealt with."

It later emerged that the perpetrator had bought a pack of three craft knives on the morning of the attack, one of which she used to kill the child. Skana reportedly purchased the weapons from a shop in Bolton town center. After stabbing Emily, Skana attempted to flee the area but was tackled to the ground by a bystander and restrained until authorities arrived at the scene.

The seven-year-old girl was mourned on social media on March 22, 2022 -- two years after her cold-blooded murder. "Two years ago today, 22nd March, 2020 Emily Jones aged 7, was horrifically murdered on Queen's Park, Bolton, on Mother's Day, by a schizophrenic asylum seeker. Please never ever forget little Emily Sleep well beautiful Angel," one Twitter user wrote.

"Beautiful little girl failed by a system that allowed a dangerous individual to roam free in our society," another added. "Emily Jones day today - 2 years to the day that some scum with a knife ended her life. #RIPEmilyJones," someone else chimed in.

Father Mark, who was walking alongside Emily through Queens Park just moments before she rode off on her scooter to see her mother, promised to do everything he could to keep his daughter's killer locked up. "As long I'm breathing, I'll do everything I can do to keep her where she is," he said last month. Skana is currently being held at Rampton Hospital, a secure psychiatric facility in Nottinghamshire. The Albanian immigrant could be transferred to prison if her condition improves, according to the Daily Mail.