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Inset: Laken Snelling (University of Kentucky). Background: Home in Lexington, Kentucky, where she allegedly gave birth to an infant and wrapped the child in a garbage bag (Google Maps).
A University of Kentucky cheerleader is now facing a manslaughter charge after it was revealed by a medical examiner that the baby she delivered was born alive and subsequently died from asphyxiation, according to prosecutors.
Initially, Laken Snelling, aged 21, was charged with abuse of a corpse, tampering with physical evidence, and concealing the birth of an infant. However, a grand jury has added the charge of manslaughter following the medical examiner’s findings that the baby was alive at birth but suffocated by unknown means.
Snelling allegedly informed police that she believed the baby was not breathing before she lost consciousness and fell on the child. Fayette County Commonwealth’s Attorney Kimberly Baird provided insight to CBS affiliate WKYT regarding the jury’s decision.
“The jury was briefed on the various homicide charges, and after deliberations, they concluded that first-degree manslaughter was the appropriate charge to be issued,” she explained to the news outlet.
Although the cheerleader is currently out on bond, an arrest warrant has reportedly been issued for her once again, as reported by WKYT.
As Law&Crime previously reported, the Lexington Police Department was called around 10:30 a.m. on Aug. 28 about an unresponsive infant at a home in the 400 block of Park Avenue, blocks away from campus.
They arrived at the home and pronounced the infant dead at the scene.
Local NBC affiliate WLEX obtained an arrest citation that said the “infant was located wrapped in a towel inside of a black trash bag.” After receiving her Miranda warnings, Snelling reportedly admitted to giving birth to the child. She also reportedly “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.” Cops found the trash bag in a closet, the citation reportedly said.
Snelling was arrested and taken to the Fayette County Jail.
The University of Kentucky told WLEX that Snelling was a member of the school’s competitive cheerleading team for the last three seasons and referred further comment to Lexington police. Her bio is on the team’s website. It says her hometown is White Pine, Tennessee, around 185 miles away from Lexington. She’s since dropped out of school.