Laken Snelling waives hearing, to face grand jury over newborn death

Laken Snelling, a 21-year-old former University of Kentucky STUNT team member, waived her right to a preliminary hearing on September 26 and will face a grand jury after being charged in connection with the death of a newborn whose body was found in a closet of an off-campus Lexington home in late August. Snelling, who was in court briefly and supported by about 10 former classmates, is charged with abuse of a corpse, tampering with physical evidence and concealing the birth of an infant.

Lexington police responded to a call on August 27 after a third party reported an unresponsive infant discovered in a closet near the university. Officers found the newborn wrapped in a towel inside a black trash bag and cold to the touch, according to police records. The infant was pronounced deceased at the scene. Police took Snelling into custody days later after locating her and, according to an arrest report, she admitted to giving birth and placing the baby in the trash bag. She was initially held at the Fayette County Detention Center and was released on a $100,000 surety bond on September 2 to reside under house arrest at her parents’ home in Tennessee.