Laken Snelling, 21, has been accused of giving birth to a baby boy and hiding his body in a trash bag in her closet, police said.
The autopsy for the newborn, who was allegedly found in Snelling’s closet wrapped in a towel, has been completed — but the results were inconclusive.
On Sunday, Snelling was arrested and charged with abuse of a corpse, tampering with physical evidence, and concealing the birth of an infant, according to a news release from the Lexington Police Department.
Snelling is a senior at the University of Kentucky and was a member of the school’s competitive cheer STUNT team for three years. She is originally from White Pine, Tennessee, the team roster shows.
Police said they were called to her home near campus on Aug. 27 after receiving a report about an unresponsive infant.
The baby was pronounced dead at the scene and was found “wrapped in a towel inside of a black trash bag,” according to the arrest citation reviewed by PEOPLE.
During questioning, Snelling admitted to giving birth, cleaning up evidence, and placing everything in a trash bag, including the infant, according to the citation. Authorities confirmed she is the baby’s biological mother.
On Sept. 3, Fayette County Coroner Gary Ginn said a preliminary autopsy did not determine a clear cause of death. He explained that further testing is still underway.
Snelling was initially held at the Fayette County Detention Center but was released on Sept. 2 after posting $100,000 bond, court documents reviewed by PEOPLE show. She is now under house arrest at her parents’ home in Jefferson City, Tennessee.
She appeared in court the same day, where she pleaded not guilty, according to KBTX.
Her attorney has not responded to requests for comment.
