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Woman pleads guilty to first-degree manslaughter in infant death; sentencing scheduled for October 16.
Laken Snelling pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter in connection with the death of a newborn in Lexington, Kentucky. According to court records, the infant was found dead in a trash bag in Snelling's closet.
Snelling admitted to passing out on the newborn and discovering him with signs of asphyxia. She was also charged with abuse of a corpse and tampering with evidence after deleting records of her pregnancy from her phone to conceal the birth.
Snelling faces up to 10 years in prison, with sentencing scheduled for October 16. The guilty plea resolves charges brought against the University of Kentucky student following the discovery.
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Guilty plea resolves case against Lexington woman
The guilty plea concludes criminal proceedings initiated after investigators discovered a deceased newborn in Snelling's residence. She faced multiple charges including abuse of a corpse and evidence tampering. The plea agreement streamlines adjudication, with sentencing pending October 16.
Death resulted from accidental asphyxiation, defendant acknowledges
Snelling's admission establishes the sequence of events: she lost consciousness while with the newborn, discovered him showing asphyxiation signs, and subsequently concealed evidence by deleting phone records. The circumstances—accidental positioning rather than intentional harm—informed the first-degree manslaughter charge rather than murder.