Former UK Cheerleader Sentenced to 10 Years for Infant's Death

Laken Snelling, a former University of Kentucky cheerleader, has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for her role in the death of her infant child. Snelling was convicted of first-degree manslaughter and also pleaded guilty to charges of abuse of a corpse, tampering with physical evidence, and concealing the birth of an infant.

Lexington Police Department officers arrested Snelling in August 2025 after her roommates reported hearing noises from her closet. Upon investigation, officers discovered the infant, who was cold to the touch and wrapped in a trash bag within the closet. The Kentucky Medical Examiner's Office determined the infant was born alive and died from asphyxiation.

During a court appearance, Snelling stated she had "deprived him of oxygen." She explained to Judge Diane Minnifield, "I was under a lot of emotional stress and my baby came unexpectedly. And instead of helping him, I ended his life and afterward I cleaned up and didn’t tell anyone." She later told investigators that she had been awake for about 30 minutes after giving birth before passing out on top of the baby. Upon waking, she observed the infant turning blue and purple.

Snelling, who was a senior at the University of Kentucky at the time of the incident, also reportedly deleted photos of her labor from her phone and other evidence related to her pregnancy. She had been indicted on manslaughter and three other charges in March and entered her guilty plea in August.