Laken Snelling, University of Kentucky student autopsy into newborn’s death released as inconclusive as more tests are to be done with initial results raising new questions.
An autopsy into the cause of death of a University of Kentucky cheerleader’s newborn death has ruled the baby death as inconclusive.
The ruling comes just days after University of Kentucky student Laken Snelling, 21, was arrested after police found her newborn inside a trash bag in her closet at her Lexington off campus residence.
Is college basketball star, father of Kentucky cheerleader dead newborn?
Kentucky cheerleader had made effort to hide newborn’s corpse along with cleaning supplies
Despite the initial finding, the Fayette County Coroner’s Office stated it will conduct ‘extensive microcosmic analyses’ to determine the cause and manner of death, WKYT reported.
Coroner Gary Ginn said a preliminary autopsy was completed, ‘but we still don’t know the cause of death.’
The coroner’s report also confirmed that the infant was a boy.
Read a statement, ‘I understand the community’s concern and sensitivity surrounding the death of a child. This death affects many lives in our neighboring state of Tennessee and as well as those in the Commonwealth.
‘We are currently conducting a thorough and methodical death investigation to ensure all facts are carefully considered.’
Snelling was released on a $100,000 bond and ordered to home incarceration at her parents’ home in Jefferson City, Tennessee.
During a Tuesday court appearance, the student cheerleader pleaded not guilty to charges abuse of a corpse, tampering with physical evidence and concealing the birth of an infant, according to NBC News.
Newborn inconclusive death results raises new questions
Police made the macabre discovery on Wednesday, August 27, after they were called to Snelling’s home for a report of ‘a deceased infant being located inside of a closet‘ officials said.
The baby was pronounced dead at the scene. It’s not clear who called police to report the alleged crime.
An arrest citation said the ‘infant was located wrapped in a towel inside of a black trash bag.’
‘By wrapping the infant in towels and placing it inside of a black trash bag, the listed suspect treated the corpse in a way that would outrage ordinary family sensibilities,’ the police report said.’
Snelling admitted to concealing the birth by cleaning any evidence before hiding the supplies and the infant, who was wrapped in a towel, in a trash bag, according to the citation.
She is next scheduled in court on September 26.
The student, who allegedly admitted to giving birth to the baby before her arrest, posted images June 25, where her boyfriend held her stomach, which appeared to have a visible bump.
Other images posted on social media in recent months also showed Snelling with what appeared to be a stomach bump.
However it’s not clear if Snelling had announced a pregnancy to anyone. Or why as some commentators have wondered, ‘cancelled’ an inconvenient pregnancy.
Of note, abortions in Kentucky have been illegal in the state since 2022 following the reversal of Roe vs Wade which had previously allowed the ‘federal’ right to abortion, with state’s now decreeing whether the terminations of pregnancy are legal and under what conditions.
