Grim Discovery Near Campus
Police in Lexington, Kentucky, found a dead infant wrapped in a towel inside a plastic garbage bag in a home near the University of Kentucky campus. Officers pronounced the baby dead at the scene.
Mother Identified as Student-Athlete
Authorities identified the mother as 21-year-old Laken Snelling, a University of Kentucky cheerleader. She faces charges of abuse of a corpse, tampering with physical evidence, and concealing the birth of an infant.
Admission and Arrest
According to an arrest citation, Snelling admitted to giving birth, cleaning the scene, and placing the infant and cleaning supplies in a trash bag, which police later found in a closet. The coroner’s office will determine the cause and manner of death. It is not yet clear if the baby was born alive.
University Statement
The University of Kentucky confirmed Snelling had been a member of its cheerleading team for the past three seasons but deferred further comment to police. Snelling is from White Pine, Tennessee, and was booked into Fayette County Jail before bonding out.
For more on this horrific crime, stay tuned to Que Onda Magazine.