UK Student’s Roommatesโ Discovered Evidence of Childbirth, Leading to Arrest
LEXINGTON, โKY – A University โof kentucky student, Laken Snelling, 21, is facing charges after her roommates discovered evidence suggesting she had given birthโ in her apartment, authorities say. The discoveryโค on August โค27th triggered a police investigation โคand โฃhas raised questions about the circumstances surrounding โthe infant’s death.
According to court documents andโค incident reports, Snelling’s roommatesโ became concerned when sheโฃ skipped a class and left for McDonald’s. Upon entering her room, they found a “blood-soaked towel on the floor and a plasticโข bag containing evidence of childbirth.” A subsequent search revealed a newborn infant inside a โblack plastic bag in a closet. An individual instantly called โ911,โ reporting the baby was “cold โto the โฃtouch.”
Police met Snelling at her โapartment around 10:30 a.m. that day and took her to headquarters โfor a medical evaluation.
Initial โคreports indicate Snelling โฃallegedly toldโ her roommates approximately four hours priorโ toโ the discovery that a noise they heard was caused by her โfalling โฃafter passing out. Though, an affidavit obtained by WLKY states Snelling later claimed โฃshe was awake for about 30 minutes after giving birthโข before losing consciousness. โขUpon waking, she reportedly believed the baby was not โalive,โ stating he was “turning blue andโฃ purple.”
The New York Post reportedโ that snelling allegedlyโ told hospital staff she heardโฃ theโค baby “whimper” โคafterโฃ he was born.
Snellingโ was arrested on august 30th and charged with abuse of a corpse, tamperingโ with physical evidence, and concealingโฃ the birthโฃ of an infant.โค She pleaded not guilty on September 2nd and later waived her right to aโค preliminary hearing on September 26th, allowing the โcase to proceed directlyโ to a grand jury.She has withdrawn from the University of Kentucky and is currently on โhouse arrest.
A preliminary โautopsy conducted byโค theโ Fayette County Coroner’s office has yielded inconclusive results, โขwith โฃofficials stating “extensive microscopic โฃanalysis areโ essential” to determine the cause and manner of death.