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New details have come out in the case of Laken Snelling, a now-former University of Kentucky student and STUNT team member accused of hiding the body of her newborn son at her Lexington residence.
Snelling’s roommates allegedly heard loud noises coming from the accused’s bedroom on Aug. 27 around 4 a.m., the time she supposedly gave birth, the New York Post reported, citing court documents obtained by Lex18.
About four hours later, Snelling, 21, allegedly told them that the noise occurred when she passed out and fell.
The roommates, who suspected that Snelling had hidden her pregnancy, went into her room when she skipped a class and left to go to McDonald’s. They found, per the New York Post, a “blood-soaked towel on the floor and a plastic bag containing evidence of childbirth.”
Upon discovering the baby inside a black plastic bag in a closet, an individual called 911 and told dispatch the newborn was, according to an incident report obtained by Fox 56, “cold to the touch.”
When Snelling returned that day to her apartment around 10:30 a.m., she was met by police. She was taken to headquarters and asked, per an incident report, to be “checked out” medically.
Details that have emerged
After giving birth in her bedroom on Aug. 27, the baby boy allegedly fell to the floor, People reported, citing an affidavit obtained by WLKY.
Snelling claimed she was awake for about 30 minutes before she passed out. When she woke up, per the affidavit, the newborn was “turning blue and purple,” which led her to believe that baby was not alive.
The case has since revealed, the New York Post noted, that while she was at the hospital Snelling allegedly told staff that she heard the baby “whimper” after he was born.
What Laken Snelling’s infant’s autopsy revealed
The Fayette County Coroner’s office has stated in a report that a “preliminary autopsy has been completed; the findings are inconclusive.”
To determine the cause and manner of death of the baby, the office added, “extensive microscopic analysis are essential.”
What is Laken Snelling charged with?
Snelling was arrested at 4:58 p.m. on Aug. 30. She was booked into Fayette County Detention Center on Aug. 31.
She was charged with abuse of a corpse, tampering with physical evidence, and concealing the birth of an infant.
On Sept. 2, Snelling, who withdrew from school after being charged and is on house arrest, pleaded not guilty.
On Sept. 26, Snelling waived her right to a preliminary hearing, per People, which allowed the case to go directly to a grand jury.
