Infant death case in Lexington sent to grand jury

LEXINGTON, Ky. (ABC 36 NEWS NOW) — A former UK student athlete charged with concealing the birth of her baby will have her case waived to the grand jury.

On Friday, 21-year-old Laken Snelling appeared next to her attorney for her preliminary hearing.

Snelling is facing charges of abuse of a corpse, tampering with physical evidence and concealing the birth of an infant.

Snelling was arrested on August 31, according to Lexington Police, she is accused of hiding her deceased baby in a closet on Park Avenue, wrapped in a towel and placed inside a trash bag.

Court records show Snelling admitted to giving birth and then attempting to clean up evidence before placing the infant and cleaning materials into the bag.

The Fayette County Coroner’s Office identified the baby as a male, adding that preliminary findings in the case are inconclusive, and the cause and manner of death remain undetermined.

She entered a not guilty plea earlier this month and is currently under a $100,000 surety bond. As a condition of release, she must live with her parents on house arrest while the investigation continues.