Laken Snelling, a former University of Kentucky cheerleader, pleaded guilty Friday to manslaughter charges in the death of her newborn son. Snelling, 22, admitted to killing the infant and placing his body in a trash bag.
Authorities responded to an off-campus home on August 27, 2025, after Snelling's roommates discovered the infant in a closet. The Kentucky Medical Examiner's Office determined the baby was born alive and died of asphyxia. A grand jury indicted Snelling on first-degree manslaughter charges in March 2026.
Initially, Snelling provided conflicting accounts to police. She first claimed the baby had fallen and was not breathing, then stated she had passed out on top of the infant and discovered him unresponsive. In court, she admitted to "ending" the baby's life instead of assisting him.
Snelling was initially charged with abuse of a corpse, tampering with physical evidence, and concealing the birth of an infant. Prosecutors have recommended a 10-year prison sentence for manslaughter, with one-year sentences for each of the other charges.