1 of 1 Photo: Fayette County Detention Center
The roommates of Laken Snelling, the University of Kentucky competitive cheerleader arrested after her newborn was found inside a garbage bag, reportedly heard her giving birth and found the dead newborn stuffed in her closet.
The roommates, who suspected Snelling, 21, was potentially hiding a pregnancy, claim to have heard loud noises at around 4:00 a.m. at their off-campus house in Lexington, according to court documents obtained by Lex18. Snelling allegedly claimed the noise was from her having fallen over and passing out from a routine illness when she spoke to the roommates hours later.
The former competitive cheerleader then left the apartment to pickup an order at McDonald's, rather than attend her 9:30 a.m. class, at which point the roommates searched her room and found a “blood-soaked towel on the floor and a plastic bag containing evidence of childbirth" before discovering the newborn inside a black plastic bag in a closet. The roommates called 911 and told the dispatcher that the newborn was "cold to the touch."
Police were at the home waiting for Snelling when she returned. An autopsy performed by the Fayette County Coroner's Office on the newborn last month was ruled to be inconclusive, according to TMZ.
The report stated that "extensive microscopic analyses are essential to determine the cause and manner of death and Coroner Gary W. Ginn said the investigation is active and his office is "conducting a thorough and methodical death investigation to ensure all facts are carefully considered."
Snelling, who was confirmed to be the mother of the baby, having "admitted to giving birth," while being interviewed by officers, pleaded not guilty to charges of abuse of a corpse, tampering with physical evidence and concealing the birth of an infant. The 21-year-old initially told police that the baby fell on the floor after she gave birth but she didn't think he was "breathing or alive," an affidavit states.
Snelling then claimed she passed out "on top of the baby" and discovered he was "turning blue and purple" upon waking up. The former cheerleader admitted to wrapping the child "up like a burrito and laid next to it,” claiming it "gave her a little comfort in the moment," according to court documents.
A probe, however, has since revealed that Snelling told medical staff that the baby had shown "a little bit of fetal movement" and made a "whimper" after his birth, according to court documents. Snelling allegedly took several photos while in labor, but had since deleted them "in an attempt to hide the birth," according to police.
Snelling is no longer a member of the University of Kentucky's STUNT team and withdrew from the school entirely following her arrest.