The cause of death for a baby found in a University of Kentucky student’s closet last weekend remains unknown, officials said.
The Fayette County Coroner's Office said in a press release Wednesday that the preliminary autopsy results for the newborn baby boy are "inconclusive" and more tests are needed. The baby is believed to belong to 21-year-old senior Laken Snelling, according to authorities.
The coroner’s office said the baby was born on Aug. 27.
"I understand the community’s concern and sensitivity surrounding the death of a child. This death affects many lives in our neighboring state of Tennessee, as well as those in the Commonwealth," Gary W. Ginn, the county’s coroner, said in a statement. "We are currently conducting a thorough and methodical death investigation to ensure all facts are carefully considered."
Dr. Marcello DiStasio, who is a professor of pathology at Yale School of Medicine and was not involved in the coroner's investigation, described the results as "absolutely routine" but speculated they suggest no visible signs of harm.
"It's more likely that they did see nothing and they suspect something that would not show a grossly visible wound or pathology — that's more likely," DiStasio said.
Snelling, a member of the university’s STUNT team, was arrested on Sunday and accused of hiding her dead infant, found wrapped in a towel, inside a black trash bag in a closet, according to police.
Authorities were dispatched to her home in Lexington, Kentucky, on Wednesday, according to a Lexington police arrest citation obtained by NBC affiliate WLEX of Lexington.
Snelling told officers that she had given birth and tried to conceal the evidence of the birth, according to a police citation.
Abortion has been illegal in Kentucky since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022. It is unclear if Snelling knew she was pregnant when she gave birth.
Snelling pleaded not guilty to charges of abuse of a corpse, tampering with physical evidence, and concealing the birth of an infant. Her attorney, Brandon Marshall, declined to comment.
She was released Tuesday on a $100,000 bond and placed on house arrest at her parents’ home in Jefferson City, Tennessee, roughly 200 miles from where she was arrested in Kentucky, according to court documents shared with NBC News.
The 21-year-old appeared in court on Tuesday and said little to her attorney.
The coroner said on Wednesday that there was no additional information to be released and that he would give updates to the public as his investigation continued.
"Please keep the family and friends as well as the University of Kentucky friends in your thoughts and prayers," he said.
The University of Kentucky has said little about the case since Snelling's arrest, other than confirming her enrollment at the university and that she is a student athlete.
Snelling will next appear in court on Sept. 26.
