Laken Snelling told her roommates the loud crashing sounds coming from her bedroom were nothing more than a fainting spell caused by hunger. She said she needed to step out for some fast food while she recovered. When she returned, police were waiting.
The 21-year-old former University of Kentucky cheerleader has pleaded guilty to killing her newborn baby boy and hiding his body in her closet, admitting in court that she "deprived him of oxygen" before wrapping the infant's remains in a towel and sealing them in a plastic bag. The child was later determined to have died from asphyxiation.
Background
On Aug. 27, 2025, Snelling gave birth to a baby boy at a home on the 400 block of Park Avenue in Lexington, Kentucky — just blocks from the University of Kentucky campus where she cheered. According to court records reviewed by Law&Crime, her roommates reported hearing intense noises emanating from her room for approximately an hour, sounds so forceful they reportedly knocked a picture off the wall.
When the roommates questioned Snelling about the commotion, she claimed she had simply passed out due to low blood sugar and was heading to get McDonald's. She left the apartment briefly while the investigation into those mysterious noises continued without her knowledge.
The roommates decided to investigate the source of the disturbances themselves. What they found sent them racing to contact authorities: a blood-soaked towel on the floor, physical evidence of childbirth, and — hidden in Snelling's closet — the deceased newborn baby sealed inside plastic bags.
The Investigation
Detectives with the Lexington Police Department responded to the scene around 10:30 a.m. that morning after receiving the roommates' call. When investigators later spoke with Snelling, she initially offered an alternative account: she claimed she had given birth and accidentally fallen asleep on top of the infant, only waking to find him "turning blue and purple."
She told police she believed the child was already dead and wrapped him "like a burrito" to lie beside him because it provided her some comfort. However, medical personnel at the university painted a different picture when investigators consulted them. Snelling had reportedly informed healthcare workers that her baby displayed "a little bit of fetal movement" at birth and made a "whimper" — indications of potential life she later dismissed by saying she "guessed" he was alive.
A review of Snelling's phone and social media activity revealed pregnancy-related searches, photographs documenting her labor, and other evidence suggesting an intentional effort to conceal her condition from those around her. The child was ultimately determined to have died from asphyxiation.
The Charges
Snelling appeared before Fayette Circuit Court Judge Diane Minnifield on Friday, visibly emotional as she entered her guilty plea. She faces four felony charges: first-degree manslaughter, abuse of a corpse, tampering with physical evidence, and concealing the birth of an infant.
"I was under a lot of emotional stress, and my baby came unexpectedly, and instead of helping him, I ended his life," Snelling said, her voice breaking during the proceeding. "And afterwards, I cleaned up and didn't tell anyone."
When pressed by Judge Minnifield for specifics, she admitted: "I deprived him of oxygen" before placing "the towels in a plastic bag."
Prosecutors have recommended a 10-year sentence on the manslaughter charge, with one-year sentences on each of the remaining three counts. Snelling is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 16.
Key Takeaways
- Laken Snelling, 21, was a cheerleader for the University of Kentucky and originally from Tennessee
- The newborn baby boy died from asphyxiation; evidence suggested he showed signs of life at birth including movement and a whimper
- Roommates discovered the infant's remains after Snelling left to get McDonald's, claiming loud noises came from her fainting episode
- Police found pregnancy-related searches and labor documentation on Snelling's phone indicating a concealed pregnancy
- Prosecutors recommended 10 years for manslaughter plus one year each on three additional felony charges
What's Next
Snelling is due back in Fayette Circuit Court on Oct. 16 for sentencing before Judge Diane Minnifield. The case has drawn attention from advocacy groups focused on maternal mental health, with some observers calling for expanded resources for young women facing unexpected pregnancies. Her defense team has not publicly commented on the plea agreement recommendations.