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Cheerleader Laken Snelling pleads guilty to ‘ending life’ of newborn found dead in closet
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Former University of Kentucky cheerleader Laken Snelling pleaded guilty on Friday morning to manslaughter charges in connection with the death of her newborn son. The 22-year-old admitted to killing the infant and hiding his body inside a plastic trash bag in a closet at her off-campus residence on Park Avenue.
The case began on August 27, 2025, when Lexington police officers were called to Snelling’s home after her college roommates made a discovery. Roommates had heard loud noises coming from her room for about an hour.
After Snelling left the residence claiming she felt unwell, the roommates searched the area and found a blood-soaked towel on the floor. They then located the unresponsive infant placed inside a black trash bag inside a bedroom closet.
The Kentucky Medical Examiner’s Office performed an autopsy and concluded that the full-term baby was born alive. Medical examiners determined that the cause of death was asphyxia by undetermined means.
Initial legal actions and statements
Snelling was initially arrested and charged with abuse of a corpse, tampering with physical evidence, and concealing the birth of an infant. She pleaded not guilty to those initial charges in April 2025. A Fayette County grand jury later indicted her on first-degree manslaughter charges in March 2026.
During early interrogations with investigators, Snelling provided conflicting stories regarding the circumstances of the birth. She first claimed that the infant fell to the floor after delivery and that she did not believe he was alive or breathing.
She later altered her statement to police and medical staff. She claimed that she passed out on top of the infant for about 30 minutes and woke up to find him turning blue and purple. Investigators also recovered deleted phone data showing that she had searched pregnancy-related topics and taken photographs during her labor.
Admission in court and sentencing recommendations
Snelling ultimately changed her plea during her court appearance, admitting to ending the baby's life instead of helping him. She acknowledged putting the newborn into the plastic bag where her roommates eventually discovered him. Court records show she copped to ending the life of her child "instead of helping him."
Under the terms of the plea agreement, prosecutors recommended a 10-year prison sentence for the manslaughter charge. They also requested additional one-year terms for each of the secondary charges: abuse of a corpse, tampering with physical evidence, and concealing the birth of an infant.