A University of Kentucky cheerleader, Laken Snelling, has been charged with serious criminal offenses following the discovery of her deceased newborn concealed in her residence. The 21-year-old was taken into custody on Saturday in Lexington after police investigated the incident. Snelling's case has garnered widespread attention due to the discrepancy between her public aspirations of motherhood on social media and the grim allegations she now faces.
In a TikTok video posted on June 25, Snelling had expressed life goals that included having a baby, getting married, and owning a home. However, just months later, she was arrested for charges that include abuse of a corpse, tampering with physical evidence, and concealing the birth of an infant. This contrast has led to intense scrutiny and commentary on her social media presence.
The Lexington Police Department was alerted to an unresponsive infant at a residence on Park Avenue on Wednesday morning. Upon arrival, emergency responders pronounced the baby dead at approximately 10:30 a.m. A disturbing scene revealed the infant's body wrapped in a towel and placed inside a black trash bag. Snelling later admitted to cleaning up any evidence and concealing the birth, which led to her criminal charges.
As the investigation continues, the Fayette County Coroner’s Office has yet to determine the infant's cause of death. Multiple agencies are involved, and Snelling remains in custody at the Fayette County Detention Center while the Special Victims Section of the Lexington Police Department investigates the circumstances of the infant's death.
The case has prompted discussions about resources available in Kentucky for parents unable to care for newborn children. Kentucky's near-total abortion ban, in effect since 2022, offers minimal exceptions, making it one of the nation's most restrictive laws. Nevertheless, the state maintains safe haven laws that allow parents to surrender newborns at designated locations without facing prosecution.
Snelling, hailing from White Pine, Tennessee, was pursuing Interdisciplinary Disability Studies at the University of Kentucky and was an active member of the school's STUNT team, a competitive cheerleading program. The university confirmed her involvement but deferred further inquiries to the police.
As authorities work to uncover the full story behind the infant's death and the subsequent charges, the community reflects on the stark reality of unwanted pregnancies and the resources—or lack thereof—available to individuals in crisis.
