Ex-UK Student Charged After Newborn Found Dead in Closet

In a tragic turn of events, a former University of Kentucky student, Laken Snelling, is facing serious charges after her newborn was found dead in her closet. The 21-year-old Snelling, who was a member of the school's STUNT team, appeared in court last month for a brief hearing, where she was surrounded by about 10 of her former classmates who came to show their support.

During the hearing, Snelling waived her right to a preliminary hearing, and the case will now go before a grand jury, which will decide whether to indict her. Snelling was initially charged with abuse of a corpse, tampering with physical evidence, and concealing the birth of an infant after the dead newborn was discovered in a trash bag in her bedroom closet on August 27.

The autopsy on the newborn proved inconclusive, and further testing is required to determine the cause of death. Snelling was not home when the police initially responded to the call about the baby, but she was later taken into custody and allegedly admitted to giving birth and putting the baby in the trash.

Since her initial arrest, Snelling has been released on a $100,000 surety bond and placed on house arrest at her family home in Tennessee. She has also withdrawn from the University of Kentucky, where she had been a member of the school's STUNT team, which finished as runners-up in last year's NCAA competition.