The case of a former University of Kentucky student who was arrested in connection to her infant's death is bypassing a preliminary hearing and heading straight to a grand jury.
Laken Snelling, 21, appeared in Fayette District Court on Friday. According to the Lexington Herald-Leader, during the brief hearing, Snelling and her attorney waived her right to a preliminary hearing, sending the case to a grand jury.
According to LEX18, officers were dispatched to Snelling's residence on Aug. 27 at approximately 10:35 a.m. for "a deceased infant being located in a closet." In a heavily redacted 911 dispatch transcript obtained by the Herald-Leader, the unidentified caller said the baby was "cold to the touch."
An arrest citation details that the infant was found wrapped in a towel inside of a black trash bag and was pronounced dead at the scene.
Snelling requested to be "checked out" medically while being interviewed by officers and 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."
The Fayette County Coroner's office released an autopsy report on Sept. 3, confirming the baby was a boy and stating "extensive microscopic analyses" were essential to determine his cause of death after preliminary autopsy results were inconclusive.
"We are currently conducting a thorough and methodical death investigation to ensure all facts are carefully considered," said Gary Ginn, the Fayette County coroner. "This death investigation remains open pending the results of these studies…There will be updates as our death investigation continues."
On Sept. 2, Snelling pleaded not guilty to charges of abuse of a corpse, tampering with physical evidence and concealing the birth of an infant. A grand jury will now choose whether she will be indicted on those charges.
Laken Snelling. (University of Kentucky photo)
