Thursday, March, 12 2026 - A former cheerleader at the University of Kentucky, Laken Snelling, has been indicted on a first-degree manslaughter charge after authorities said an autopsy revealed that her newborn baby was born alive before his death.
The 21-year-old was indicted by a Fayette County Grand Jury
after findings from the Kentucky Medical Examiner’s Office concluded that the
infant died from asphyxia by undetermined means.
According to Kimberly Baird, the Commonwealth’s Attorney for
Fayette County, jurors were presented with the various homicide charges before
deciding that first-degree manslaughter was the appropriate indictment.
Snelling had earlier been charged with abuse of a corpse,
tampering with physical evidence and concealing the birth of an infant. She
pleaded not guilty to those charges and had been under house arrest at her
family home in Tennessee.
Following her arrest, she withdrew from the University of
Kentucky and is no longer a member of the school’s STUNT cheer team.
Authorities said Snelling gave birth to a baby boy at around
4 a.m. on August 27 at her off-campus residence in Lexington.
According to police reports, her roommates—who suspected she
had been hiding a pregnancy—heard unusual noises coming from her room during
the early morning hours.
Investigators said Snelling allegedly cleaned up blood from
the room after the birth, showered and left the house without seeking medical
help.
While she was away, roommates entered her room and
reportedly found blood-stained items along with a plastic bag containing signs
of childbirth. They later discovered the newborn inside a black plastic bag in
a closet and contacted emergency services, telling the operator the baby felt
cold to the touch.
When Snelling returned home, officers from the Lexington
Police Department were waiting and took her into custody.
During questioning, she reportedly told investigators that
the baby fell to the floor during birth and that she believed he was not
breathing. She later claimed she may have passed out on top of the baby and
woke up to find him turning blue and purple.
Court documents also state that Snelling admitted wrapping
the baby in a towel and lying next to him because it gave her some comfort.
However, investigators later said she told medical personnel
that the newborn had shown slight movement and made a small whimper after
birth. Police also alleged that she took photos while in labor but later
deleted them in an attempt to hide evidence of the birth.
If convicted, Snelling faces up to 20 years in prison for
the manslaughter charge, along with an additional 11 years related to the other
charges.
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