Laken Ashlee Snelling, a 21-year-old member of the University of Kentucky's cheer stunt squad, has been arrested and charged after a deceased infant was discovered hidden in a closet at her home in Lexington, Kentucky.
According to police, the baby was found wrapped in a towel inside a black trash bag on 27 August. Snelling faces charges of corpse abuse, tampering with physical evidence, and concealing the birth of an infant. She admitted to giving birth and attempting to conceal the evidence, including the infant.
An autopsy conducted by the local coroner's office was inconclusive regarding the cause of death, and further tests are pending. Snelling was released on a $100,000 bond and pleaded not guilty at a preliminary court appearance on Tuesday. She has been ordered to live with her parents.
Both corpse abuse and tampering with physical evidence are class D felonies under Kentucky law, carrying potential sentences of one to five years in prison and fines up to $10,000. Snelling's next court hearing is tentatively set for 26 September.
