Former University of Kentucky Student Charged with Manslaughter
A former student-athlete from the University of Kentucky was charged on Monday with first-degree manslaughter among other felonies after the body of his newborn baby was discovered in a closet last year.
Laken Snelling, who is 21 and was part of the university’s stunt team, faces accusations of hiding the baby’s birth and storing the body in a closet. She was arrested at the Lexington Police Department on August 31, according to officials.
Authorities responded to a report about an unresponsive infant on August 20, where the baby was pronounced dead at the scene. The infant was found wrapped in a towel inside a black garbage bag.
According to a previous affidavit, Snelling mentioned to hospital staff that she heard crying after giving birth and “assumed” the baby was alive. Additionally, court documents noted there were “slight fetal movements.” Snelling reported that she remained awake for nearly half an hour following the birth but accidentally passed out on the newborn. When she regained consciousness, she saw her baby “turning blue and purple.”
A Fayette County grand jury indicted Snelling based on the presented evidence. Charges included first-degree manslaughter, abuse of a corpse, tampering with physical evidence, and concealing the birth of an infant. Fayette Commonwealth’s Attorney Kimberly Baird commented on the jury’s decision process, noting they were presented with various levels of murder but settled on manslaughter.
When police found the infant, they noted the body felt cold. Snelling allegedly believed the baby was dead and prepared the body as if it were an item wrapped up “like a burrito,” feeling a sense of “relief” afterward.
Allegations indicate Snelling’s roommates communicated after hearing a loud noise, with Snelling claiming she intended to visit a doctor due to feeling faint. She reportedly went to McDonald’s and then a student health clinic but didn’t enter the building, according to the affidavit.
In the subsequent investigation, police discovered that Snelling had deleted images from her phone that depicted her contractions and showed evidence of her pregnancy.
Initially, Snelling was charged with tampering with evidence, concealing the birth, and abuse of a corpse but has pleaded not guilty to all charges at this time. It’s confirmed she was a senior at the university during these events.
