Laken Snelling, once a cheerleader for the University of Kentucky, has admitted guilt in the tragic death of her newborn son, pleading guilty to first-degree manslaughter.
As reported by NBC affiliate WLEX, the 22-year-old made her plea on August 21. In addition to manslaughter, Snelling confessed to charges of abusing a corpse, tampering with evidence, and concealing the birth of the infant.
During a courtroom appearance captured on video by Court TV, a visibly emotional Snelling recounted the sequence of events that unfolded nearly a year prior when she gave birth.
“I was under significant emotional stress, and the baby came unexpectedly,” she tearfully acknowledged. “Rather than helping him, I ended his life. Afterwards, I cleaned up and kept it to myself,” she continued, admitting to depriving her newborn of oxygen.
Newborn Was Reportedly Found in Trash Bag
On the morning of August 27, 2025, officers responded to a distress call about an unresponsive infant at a home on the 400 block of Park Avenue, arriving at the scene around 10:30 a.m.
When officers arrived, they located the infant, who was pronounced dead at the scene.
The location was Snelling’s off-campus home, and officers went to investigate after her roommates found the infant, according to reporting by People.
The newborn was reportedly found wrapped in a towel inside a trash bag that had been hidden in Snelling’s closet.
Four days later, on Aug. 31, Snelling was arrested in connection with the infant’s death on allegations including abuse of a corpse and tampering with physical evidence.
The Kentucky Medical Examiner’s Office later determined that the infant had been born alive, according to the Lexington Police Department. The medical examiner determined the baby’s cause of death was “asphyxia by undetermined means.”
On March 10, 2026, police announced that a Fayette County grand jury indicted Snelling on an additional charge of first-degree manslaughter.
Under Snelling’s plea agreement, prosecutors recommended that she serve 10 years for the first-degree manslaughter charge.
Prosecutors recommended an additional three years for the remaining charges, bringing the recommended sentence to a total of 13 years.
Snelling is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 16.