Additional Coverage:
- Kentucky cheerleader Laken Snelling pleads guilty to killing newborn son found stuffed in trash bag (themirror.com)
Former University of Kentucky cheerleader Laken Snelling has pleaded guilty to manslaughter in connection with the death of her newborn son. The plea was entered during a court hearing on Friday, marking a significant turn from her earlier not guilty plea in April.
In addition to manslaughter, Snelling admitted guilt to charges of abuse of a corpse, tampering with physical evidence, and concealing the birth of an infant. During the hearing, she tearfully expressed that she was under intense emotional stress and that the birth was unexpected. “Instead of helping him, I ended his life, and, afterwards, I cleaned up and didn’t tell anyone,” Snelling stated in court.
When questioned by Judge Diane Minnifield on how she ended her baby’s life, Snelling said she deprived the infant of oxygen.
The incident came to light on August 27, 2025, when Snelling’s college roommates discovered the newborn wrapped in a towel inside a black plastic bag in a closet of an off-campus Lexington residence. They also found a blood-soaked towel and a plastic bag containing evidence of childbirth, which prompted a 911 call.
Snelling acknowledged placing the towels in a plastic bag and admitted that she did not inform anyone about the birth. Her roommates had suspected she was hiding a pregnancy.
According to the Kentucky Medical Examiner’s Office, the baby was born alive but died from asphyxia by undetermined means. In interviews following the tragedy, Snelling initially claimed the baby had fallen and was not breathing.
Later, her account shifted to saying she passed out on top of the infant and woke to find him turning purple and blue. She also told medical personnel that the newborn had shown some fetal movement and made a whimper after birth.
Authorities reported that Snelling had taken photos during childbirth but deleted them in an attempt to conceal the birth. Prosecutors have recommended a sentence of 10 years for manslaughter, along with one-year terms for each of the other charges.
Sentencing is scheduled for October 16.