University of Kentucky cheerleader Laken Snelling was photographed last Halloween dressed as a pregnant woman, images show, roughly 10 months before police discovered a newborn’s body in a closet at her Lexington off‑campus residence.
Police arrested the 21‑year‑old Snelling on Aug. 31 after the baby boy’s remains were found inside a black trash bag in a closet. She has pleaded not guilty to charges that include abuse of a corpse, tampering with physical evidence and concealing the birth of an infant. An autopsy later described the infant’s cause of death as inconclusive.
Photos posted to social media show Snelling wearing a fake pregnant belly and a pin that read "Kentucky Mom" while smiling and holding the artificial bump. The images were shared by the university’s STUNT team in October 2024 and subsequently removed in the wake of Snelling’s arrest, according to posts circulated on social platforms.
Lexington police said investigators found the newborn inside a closet at Snelling’s off‑campus residence on Aug. 31. Authorities allege Snelling told investigators she had given birth, then placed the infant and evidence of the birth in the same black trash bag. The medical examiner’s report did not determine a specific cause of death, describing it as inconclusive.
Snelling was taken into custody and later released on a $100,000 bond. She was ordered to remain on house arrest at her parents’ home in Tennessee. Court records show she is due back in Fayette County court on Sept. 26, 2025.
University and team officials publicly removed images linked to Snelling after news of the arrest surfaced. Snelling, who had listed "being a mom" among life goals on social media in past posts, has since unenrolled from the university and left the cheer team, according to social media updates and local reporting.
It was not immediately clear how far along a pregnancy — if any — she may have been at the time of the birth, who reported the infant’s death to police, or who the child’s father was. One former boyfriend, 21‑year‑old Izaiah Hall, has provided a DNA sample to investigators to determine paternity, his father told The Post. Snelling’s more recent partner, Conner Jordan, appeared in photographs on her social accounts in the months preceding the discovery.
Video footage and team materials posted earlier this year show Snelling performing stunts with the cheer squad as recently as April. The Fayette County Sheriff’s Office and the University of Kentucky have not released further public statements about the ongoing investigation. Local prosecutors will determine whether to pursue additional charges as investigators complete their work.
The case has drawn attention on social media and in local news coverage, with outlets noting the contrast between images of Snelling in team activities and the allegations surrounding the discovery. Authorities have urged anyone with information related to the investigation to contact the Lexington police department as the probe continues.