The autopsy for the newborn allegedly found dead in the closet of a University of Kentucky cheerleader has been completed, but the results were inconclusive.
On Sunday, Laken Snelling, 21, was arrested and charged with abuse of a corpse, tampering with physical evidence, and concealing the birth of an infant, the Lexington Police Department said in a news release.
Snelling, a University of Kentucky senior, competed on the school’s competitive cheer STUNT team for three years and is originally from White Pine, Tennessee, according to an official team roster.
Police said officers were called to her home near campus on Wednesday, Aug. 27, after receiving a report of an unresponsive infant. The baby was pronounced dead at the scene. According to the arrest citation reviewed by PEOPLE, the newborn was “wrapped in a towel inside of a black trash bag.”
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(1044x729:1046x731):format(webp)/Laken-Snelling-090125-1641617617e9489da179bbf04efe87ff.jpg)
When interviewed, Snelling admitted to giving birth, cleaning up evidence, and putting it all in the bag, including the infant, the citation said. Authorities confirmed that she is the baby’s biological mother.
On Wednesday, Sept. 3, Fayette County Coroner Gary Ginn said a preliminary autopsy could not determine the baby’s cause of death. More testing is still pending.
After her arrest, Snelling was taken to the Fayette County Detention Center. Court documents reviewed by PEOPLE show she was released on Sept. 2 after posting a $100,000 bond. She is now under house arrest at her parents’ home in Jefferson City, Tennessee.
Snelling appeared in court the same day, where she pleaded not guilty, KBTX reported. Her attorney has not responded to requests for comment.
