Laken Snelling, 21, has been arrested for the death of her newborn child and charged with abuse of a corpse, tampering with physical evidence, and concealing the birth of an infant. According to an affidavit, the former University of Kentucky cheerleader alleges she “passed out” on top of her newborn, and when she came to, she thought he was dead.

Laken Snelling Charged

New details have emerged in the case of Laken Snelling and her deceased infant, who was found hidden in her off-campus apartment closet inside a black trash bag. On August 27, 2025, at approximately 4 a.m., Snelling’s roommates heard loud noises coming from her room and became increasingly suspicious. The unnamed person who found her newborn called 911, so police were waiting for Snelling to return home that morning. 

On August 31, four days after the discovery of her newborn’s corpse, Snelling was arrested and charged with his death. She has pleaded not guilty to all charges and is currently on house arrest at her parents’ home, awaiting her next court hearing.

Details From The Affidavit

Records obtained from Fayette County District Court and an affidavit reveal new details of what occurred. The records show that Snelling informed medical staff she guessed the baby was still alive. However, the affidavit alleges Snelling told police she gave birth at approximately 4 a.m. but did not think the baby was alive at the time. 

The affidavit also specifies that she gave birth to a boy who fell to the floor in her bedroom. She was awake for half an hour before passing out. When she woke up, she said the baby boy was “turning blue and purple,” which made her think he was dead. So, she wrapped him up “like a burrito and laid it on the floor next to her because it gave her a little comfort in the moment,” the affidavit states. She fell asleep again and woke up to her 7:30 a.m. alarm. When she woke, she placed the baby and the placenta in a black trash bag and set it in her closet. 

Her roommates allege they heard a loud noise around the time Snelling said she gave birth. Before she left the apartment that morning, she told them she had passed out and fallen, because she hadn’t eaten and wasn’t feeling well, which is why they heard that noise. When she left for the day, she skipped her 9:30 a.m. class to sit in her car and eat McDonald’s. The affidavit alleges she went to the student clinic but did not go inside. 

While she was gone, her roommates took it upon themselves to investigate the situation. They entered Snelling’s room and found a “blood-soaked towel on the floor and a plastic bag containing evidence of childbirth.” The call placed to 911, reported that the baby was “cold to the touch,” Fox 56 reported. The roommates told police they all suspected that Snelling was pregnant, but no one approached her about it.

Snelling returned home around 10:30 a.m., where she was met by the local police and taken to the station for questioning. The police then escorted her to the local hospital to be checked out by medical professionals and treated for anything they deemed necessary. She allegedly told medical personnel that she was guessing whether the baby was alive or not, but that she heard the baby whimper. 

Court Appearances

Snelling appeared in court on September 2 for her arraignment, and she entered a not guilty plea to the charges. She has since returned to court, where she waived her right to a preliminary hearing and put her fate in a grand jury, which will decide whether to indict her.