5 new details in court documents for former UK student charged in baby’s death
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Editor’s note: This story contains details some readers may find disturbing.
Court documents have revealed new information in the death of an infant last month at a Lexington home, including a timeline of events on the day the baby was born.
Documents filed in Fayette District Court in the criminal case of the baby’s mother, 21-year-old Laken Snelling, include that Snelling told hospital staff the baby made a “whimper” after it was born; Snelling’s roommates discovered the newborn baby in Snelling’s closet; and Snelling was detained by police just hours after giving birth.
Snelling has been charged with concealing the birth of an infant, tampering with physical evidence and abuse of a corpse. She was a student at the University of Kentucky and member of the STUNT team, but has since withdrawn from the university.
Police findings around the circumstances of the birth
Initial information released by the Fayette County coroner did not include the age of the infant or if it was alive when born.
But law enforcement said in court documents that they believed the baby was delivered at full term, and Snelling told hospital staff the baby made a “whimper” after being born, according to the most recent court documents and police accounts.
Snelling told police she gave birth in her bedroom around 4 a.m. Aug. 27, and the baby fell on the floor, according to a police account.
“She didn’t think the baby was breathing or was alive,” police said.
About 30 minutes later, Snelling said, she passed out and fell on top of the baby. When she woke up, Snelling said the baby was “turning blue and purple,” and she told police she wrapped him in a towel “like a burrito” and lay next to him on the floor “because it gave her a little comfort in the moment.”
Roommates discovered the baby when Snelling left the house
Roommates reported hearing noises around 4 a.m. “that sounded like something had fallen,” and they asked about it in a Snapchat group message. Snelling told her roommates later that morning she had passed out because she hadn’t eaten and wasn’t feeling well, police said.
Snelling left the house to drive to UK but did not attend class, and her roommates entered her room to find the source of the noises.
Snelling’s roommates discovered the dead newborn in her closet after noticing blood-soaked towels and plastic bags with evidence of childbirth in the room. One of Snelling’s roommates called the police, who arrived at the house around 10:30 a.m.
Roommates believed Snelling was pregnant
Snelling’s roommates told police they all had suspicions that Snelling was pregnant, but never confirmed it with her.
In the Snapchat messages asking about the noises in the middle of the night, one of Snelling’s roommates said the noise was “so forceful it knocked a picture off her wall,” they told police.
Snelling did not respond to those messages until 8:48 a.m., when she told her roommates she was going to see a doctor. Snelling said she went to the UK student health clinic when she arrived on campus, but she did not go inside.
Legal developments and charges
Snelling was arrested later that day when she returned to the home. She was taken to police headquarters for questioning and then transferred to UK Hospital for treatment.
She has been charged with concealing a birth, tampering with physical evidence, and abuse of a corpse. Last week, her case was sent to a grand jury.
Police Investigations and Evidence
Police searched Snelling’s phone, which revealed further information.
Investigators uncovered searches and deleted photos on Snelling’s phone related to pregnancy and concealed birth, including deleted images of her during labor.
Police said they believe other photos or items could have been deleted from the phone in an attempt to hide evidence of the pregnancy and birth.
Snelling’s first court appearance was Sept. 2, where she entered a plea of not guilty. Under Kentucky law, defendants charged with felonies are required to plead not guilty at a district court hearing.
Snelling is now on home incarceration at her parents’ house in Tennessee. At a court hearing on Friday, her case was sent to a grand jury.
An AI tool assisted with compiling and summarizing information in this article. It was then edited by Herald-Leader journalists.