A recent update has been provided by the coroner regarding the case of a college cheerleader whose newborn was discovered in a trash can in her dorm room.
Laken Snelling appeared in court on Tuesday (September 2) where she entered a plea of not guilty to charges of concealing the birth of an infant, tampering with physical evidence, and abuse of a corpse.
The arrest occurred last month when Lexington Police Department officers responded to a call about an unresponsive infant at a residence on the 400 block of Park Avenue.
The infant was declared dead at the scene around 10:30 am on August 30, but the cause of death has not yet been established.
According to an arrest citation, the ‘infant was located wrapped in a towel inside of a black trash bag.’
The citation also stated that Snelling ‘admitted to concealing the birth by cleaning any evidence, placing all cleaning items used inside of a black trash bag, including the infant, who was wrapped in a towel.’
It remains uncertain whether Snelling experienced a miscarriage, stillbirth, or gave birth to a live child.
According to WKYT, an autopsy revealed the newborn to be a boy, but the cause of his death before being placed in the trash bag has not been determined.
Fayette County Coroner Gary Ginn commented: “I understand the community’s concern and sensitivity surrounding the death of a child. We are conducting a thorough and methodical death investigation to ensure all facts are carefully considered.”
Snelling, who was part of the University of Kentucky’s competitive cheerleading STUNT team, posted a TikTok video that included her goals for the year before her arrest, as reported by the Daily Mail.
The video featured several emojis such as an engagement ring, a house, money, and an image of a woman bottle-feeding a baby, suggesting that a baby might have been in her future plans.
If found guilty of corpse abuse and tampering with physical evidence, the 21-year-old could face a fine of up to $10,000 and imprisonment for one to five years, as these charges are classified as Class D felonies under Kentucky law.
Following Snelling’s arrest, the University of Kentucky released a statement to local news station WLEX: “We can confirm that she has been a member of the STUNT team for the last three seasons. All other questions should be directed to the Lexington Police.”
Snelling’s preliminary hearing is scheduled for September 26.
If you are dealing with a bereavement and wish to speak to someone confidentially, you can contact The Compassionate Friends at (877) 969-0010.