What we know as investigation of cheerleader's baby found dead in trash bag continues
Warning: this article discusses the death of a child which some readers may find distressing.
An investigation into the death of a baby found in a trash bag continues after cheerleader Laken Snelling was released on bond earlier this month.
University of Kentucky cheerleader Snelling, was arrested on August 30 after police were called to reports of an 'unresponsive infant'.
When officers arrived, they made a shocking discovery, finding a newborn 'wrapped in a towel inside a black trash bag' within a closet. The baby was sadly deceased.
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It's now been determined that Snelling, who was studying Interdisciplinary Disability Studies, is the child's mother.
The 21-year-old from White Pine, Tennessee, has since been charged with abuse of a corpse, tampering with physical evidence and concealing the birth of an infant.
Snelling pleaded not guilty and was released on a $100,000 bond by a Fayette District Court judge.
As the mystery surrounding what happened remains ongoing, here's everything we know so far.
Who is Laken Snelling?
Snelling, from White Pine, Tennessee, was formerly on the University of Kentucky STUNT cheerleading team but is no longer a student at the college.
A few months prior to her arrest, a basketball player named Connor Jordan - who was believed to be Snelling's boyfriend - featured on her social media, leading many to believe they were dating.
While it is not clear if Jordan is the father of the baby, another student, Izaiah Hall, who reportedly dated Snelling before she dated Jordan, is taking a DNA test.
His father, Justin Smith, told DailyMail.com: "There's a DNA test, it's already underway. Izaiah's done this to find out if he was the father.
"I'm not sure when we'll get the results. We've been told it could be a couple of weeks."
What has Snelling said about the charges?
Snelling has not publicly commented on the situation.
However, according to an arrest citation obtained by LEX 18 News, Snelling admitted to giving birth to the baby 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'.
Prior to her arrest, Snelling had made a post on TikTok, including her aspirations for the year, the Daily Mail reported.
In the video was a number of emojis showing an engagement ring, a house, money, and a picture of a woman bottle-feeding a baby.
What happened to the newborn baby?
A cause of death report by Fayette County Coroner’s Office initially determined the autopsy as inconclusive, adding it will now conduct 'extensive microcosmic analyses' to determine how the infant passed.
It is not clear whether Snelling suffered a miscarriage, stillbirth or gave birth.
Terminating a pregnancy in Kentucky is illegal except in cases where abortion is necessary to save a woman's life or to prevent a disabling injury.
Lucy Devine