Autopsy results have been released for the infant found dead in the closet of competitive cheerleader Laken Snelling, 21.
As of now, the cause of death is ‘undetermined,’ officials say.
Wrapped in a towel
The Fayette County Coroner’s Office in Lexington, Kentucky, announced that the autopsy on the male infant has been completed, but the results remain inconclusive. Officials said further microscopic testing is needed to determine both the cause and manner of death.
“I understand the community’s concern and sensitivity surrounding the death of a child,” Fayette County Coroner Gary Ginn said in the report.
“We are conducting a thorough and methodical death investigation to ensure all facts are carefully considered.”
Lexington Police took 21-year-old Laken Snelling, the infant’s mother, into custody on Sunday after the baby was discovered dead, wrapped in a towel and placed inside a trash bag in a closet, according to WLEX.
During an interview at the scene, Snelling reportedly “admitted to giving birth” and “concealing the birth by cleaning any evidence, placing all cleaning items used inside of a black trash bag, including the infant, who was wrapped in a towel.”
According to another coroner interviewed by WKYT, Madison County Coroner Jimmy Cornelison, reaching a final determination on what happened to the baby can take weeks or even months.
”Things they can’t see with the naked eye”
“You don’t want to get tunnel vision, you don’t want to jump to conclusions, and everybody thinks it’s the worst. And it turns out not to be. Or you think it’s not the worst, and it turns out to be the worst. So, I always tell families, ‘Let’s just wait,’” Cornelison said.
Cornelison added that many findings cannot be seen with the naked eye. “There are things they can’t see with the naked eye, the coroner can’t see or can only see externally, so we have to do these tests. We have to before an opinion is made,” he said.
He also praised the state medical examiner’s office, explaining how thorough their process is. “Is there water in their lungs? Is there atherosclerotic heart disease? Anything like that, they’re going to be able to look at. They’ll also be able to take specimens from that,” Cornelison said.
“Being a coroner, you walk instead of running,” he added, highlighting the importance of patience and precision in such cases.
Released on $100,000 bond
Laken is a senior on the University of Kentucky’s STUNT cheerleading team. A native of White Pine, Tennessee, Snelling had been a decorated member of the STUNT team.
The team focuses on “the technical and athletic components of cheer, including partner stunts, pyramids, basket tosses, group jumps and tumbling,” according to USA Cheer.
The 21-year-old appeared in a Lexington courtroom on Tuesday, September 2.
Under Kentucky law, abuse of a corpse and tampering with physical evidence are Class D felonies — carrying penalties of one to five years in prison and fines up to $10,000.
Laken pleaded not guilty to all charges. She was released on $100,000 bond and is now serving “home incarceration with no ankle monitor” at her parents’ residence in Jefferson City, Tennessee.
Investigation continues
The Lexington Police Department confirmed they are “continuing to investigate” the infant’s death.
Since 2022, nearly all abortions have been prohibited in the state of Kentucky.
The disturbing case has gained attention not only for its tragic circumstances but also because of Snelling’s social media activity leading up to the incident.
Former classmates have described Snelling as an “appearance-obsessed serial bully.”
“She was obsessed with her appearance, very obsessed with being popular and fitting in,” said Sydney Kite, who went to the same high school as Snelling and claims her sister, along with several friends, were relentlessly targeted.
“Laken had many, many people that she took her personal anger out on. My sister was one of them,” Kite continued in an interview with Daily Mail.
“While in high school, she tried to run over one of my closest friends with her Jeep. The bullying got so bad, my friend had to be pulled out of school and transferred to another because Laken had taken it so far.”
According to the Daily Mail, Laken also posted a TikTok featuring emojis of an engagement ring, a house, money, and a baby bottle-feeding icon — hinting at dreams of motherhood just months before her arrest.
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