A 21-year-old University of Kentucky cheerleader and beauty pageant contestant has been arrested after police say she gave birth and hid her newborn’s body in a closet.
Laken Snelling, a member of the university’s competitive STUNT cheer team, was taken into custody Saturday and charged with abuse of a corpse, tampering with physical evidence, and concealing the birth of an infant.
Infant Found in Trash Bag
Lexington police said they were called to a home on Park Avenue around 10:30 a.m. Wednesday after receiving a report of an unresponsive infant. The baby was pronounced dead at the scene.
An arrest citation stated the child was found wrapped in a towel inside a black trash bag. Snelling admitted to officers that she had recently given birth.
She also admitted to “concealing the birth by cleaning any evidence, placing all cleaning items used inside of a black trash bag, including the infant, who was wrapped in a towel,” the citation said.
Cause of Death Pending
The Fayette County Coroner’s Office has not yet determined the baby’s cause of death, according to The Independent.
The Lexington Police Department’s Special Victims Section is continuing to investigate.
University Confirms Student Status
The University of Kentucky confirmed Snelling’s membership on the STUNT team in a statement:
“We can confirm that she has been a member of the STUNT team for the last three seasons. All other questions should be directed to the Lexington Police.”
According to her university profile, Snelling was studying Interdisciplinary Disability Studies. Her social media accounts show she is from White Pine, Tennessee, and had recently shared posts about competing in beauty pageants.
In a June video, Snelling described her goals in life as wanting to be a mother and have a family.
Kentucky’s Abortion Ban
The case comes amid Kentucky’s near-total abortion ban, which has been in effect since 2022. The law provides no exceptions for rape or incest and only allows abortion to prevent the pregnant woman’s death or serious risk of permanent organ damage.
Snelling is being held at the Fayette County Detention Center.
