Cops: College Student Hid Dead Infant After Giving Birth

A University of Kentucky cheerleader is facing felony charges after authorities discovered a deceased infant hidden in her home. Police in Lexington arrested Laken Ashlee Snelling, 21, a member of the university's competitive cheer stunt squad, on Sunday, charging her with corpse abuse, evidence tampering, and concealing the birth of a child. Officers had responded to a call on Wednesday about a deceased infant found inside her home, per WLEX. According to the arrest citation, police discovered the baby wrapped in a towel and placed inside a black trash bag in a closet.

Investigators say Snelling admitted to giving birth and told them she attempted to clean up and hide any evidence, putting the cleaning supplies in the trash bag with the infant. The local coroner is set to perform an autopsy on the infant and will provide further details on cause of death when available, per the Guardian. Snelling appeared in court on Tuesday for a preliminary hearing. Details regarding her bond were unclear, but by Tuesday morning, jail records no longer listed her as being in custody. In Kentucky, corpse abuse and evidence tampering are classified as D felonies, carrying possible sentences of one to five years in prison and fines up to $10,000.