A University of Kentucky cheerleader was hauled off in cuffs after cops found her dead newborn hidden inside a closet, police said.
Laken Snelling, 21, of White Pine, Tennessee, was taken into custody on Aug. 31 and now faces three criminal charges: abuse of a corpse, tampering with physical evidence, and concealing the birth of an infant.
Lexington Police say officers were called to a home in the 400 block of Park Avenue on the morning of Aug. 27 after receiving a report of an unresponsive infant. Around 10:30 a.m., investigators discovered the child’s body wrapped in a towel and placed inside a black trash bag in a closet.
The infant was pronounced dead at the scene. During a subsequent interview, Snelling admitted she had recently given birth and was confirmed as the child’s biological mother. The Fayette County Coroner’s Office is conducting an autopsy to determine the cause of death.
Snelling, a senior at the University of Kentucky, competed on the school’s STUNT team for three seasons. The competitive cheerleading program was introduced as the university’s 23rd varsity sport in the 2021–2022 academic year.
Her background as a student-athlete and local beauty queen has amplified media attention on the case. Shortly after news of the arrest spread, images described online as maternity-themed photos of Snelling began circulating on X. The pictures — which social posts say show a woman in a white dress posing in a grassy field with a man — have been widely shared.
However, news outlets caution that the images’ provenance and authenticity have not been independently verified. Social posts attributing the photos to Snelling and aggregator accounts helped accelerate their spread.
In a brief statement, the university confirmed her involvement with the team but declined further comment.
“We can confirm that she has been a member of the STUNT team for the last three seasons. All other questions should be directed to the Lexington Police,” the statement read
The charges against Snelling carry severe potential penalties:
- Abuse of a Corpse (Class D felony): Punishable by 1–5 years in prison.
- Tampering with Physical Evidence (Class D felony): Also punishable by 1–5 years in prison.
- Concealing the Birth of an Infant (Class A misdemeanor): Punishable by up to 12 months in jail.
The concealing charge is classified as a Class A misdemeanor under Kentucky law, which applies when someone hides the corpse of a newborn to cover up the birth or prevent the determination of whether the baby was born alive. State records show the charge is rare — only 15 cases have been filed across Kentucky in the past 23 years.
Court records show that concealment-of-birth cases are rare in Kentucky, with only six cases filed statewide between 2002 and 2025.
The investigation remains ongoing, with officials working to establish the full circumstances surrounding the infant’s death and the concealment of the birth. The backdrop of Kentucky’s near-total abortion ban, in place since 2022, which allows the procedure only to save the mother’s life or prevent catastrophic injury. The state law does not make exceptions for rape or incest.
Advocates on both sides of the abortion debate are closely watching the case, as it raises broader questions about reproductive rights, maternal health, and legal accountability.
Snelling is currently being held at the Fayette County Detention Center as the Special Victims Section digs deeper into the chilling case.
Anyone with information is urged to call Lexington Police at (859) 258-3600 or leave an anonymous tip with Bluegrass Crime Stoppers.
