A young woman, identified as Laken Snelling, is facing legal charges after her roommates discovered a deceased newborn baby boy in a trash bag in her apartment closet shortly after she gave birth. Snelling, a former University of Kentucky cheerleader, reportedly delivered the baby at around 4am on August 27. Her housemates heard commotion from her room during that time, as per court documents.
After the birth, Snelling allegedly fell asleep on top of the infant, waking up to find the baby in distress. She then wrapped the baby in a blanket and placed him on the floor for comfort. Later in the morning, she moved the baby into a towel and put it, along with the placenta, in a black trash bag in her closet.
Following the incident, Snelling informed her roommates that the noises they heard were due to her passing out. She then left the apartment, skipped a class, ordered food from McDonald’s, and picked it up. Upon her return, her roommates found evidence of childbirth in her room and contacted authorities.
Subsequent investigations revealed that Snelling had made various internet searches related to pregnancy and concealed pregnancies. At a medical facility, she mentioned hearing the baby whimper, indicating she thought the baby was alive. The deceased infant was found to be full-term.
Snelling pleaded not guilty to charges of abuse of a corpse, tampering with physical evidence, and concealing the birth of an infant. She has been released on bond but is under house arrest as the legal proceedings continue.