Laken Snelling
Lexington Police Department

Former University of Kentucky cheerleader Laken Snelling has admitted to killing her newborn son, months after pleading not guilty to first-degree manslaughter.

Snelling, 22, became emotional as she reversed her previous plea in a Kentucky courtroom on Friday, admitting that she 'deprived him of oxygen' after giving birth alone in her bedroom.

She pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter, abuse of a corpse, tampering with physical evidence and concealing the birth of an infant.

'I was under a lot of emotional stress and my baby came unexpectedly,' Snelling told the court.

'And instead of helping him I ended his life and afterwards I cleaned up and didn't tell anyone.'

When Judge Diane Minnifield asked how she had ended her baby's life, Snelling replied: 'I deprived him of oxygen.'

Snelling Previously Pleaded Not Guilty

The admission marks a dramatic reversal in the case.

Snelling pleaded not guilty to first-degree manslaughter in April. She had also previously pleaded not guilty to the three other charges.

Her account of what happened after the birth had also changed during the investigation.

According to court documents previously reported by People, Snelling initially told police that she gave birth at around 4am on 27 August 2025 and that the baby fell onto her bedroom floor.

She said she later fell asleep on top of the newborn and woke to find him 'turning blue and purple'. Snelling also reportedly told medical staff that the baby had shown 'a little bit of fetal movement' and made a 'whimper' after being born.

The Kentucky Medical Examiner's Office ultimately determined that the child was born alive and died from 'asphyxia by undetermined means'.

Newborn Found Inside Bedroom Closet

Police were called to Snelling's off-campus home after her roommates discovered blood in her bedroom and reported hearing unusual noises earlier that morning.

Officers found the newborn wrapped in a towel and placed inside a black plastic bag in Snelling's bedroom closet.

Snelling was not home when police arrived. Authorities later located her and took her to hospital for medical treatment following her arrest.

Investigators alleged that she cleaned blood and evidence of childbirth from the bedroom before concealing the baby's body.

In court on Friday, Snelling acknowledged cleaning up after the birth and hiding what had happened.

Asked what she did with the towels, she said: 'I put the towels in a plastic bag.'

Police also alleged that Snelling took photographs while in labour before deleting them in an attempt to conceal the birth.

Prosecutors Recommend 10 Years

Snelling had been free on a $100,000 surety bond following her release in September 2025. She was allowed to return to Tennessee, although the conditions of her release were later tightened to include GPS monitoring.

She subsequently withdrew from the University of Kentucky, where she had been a member of the school's STUNT team.

Prosecutors have recommended a 10-year prison sentence for first-degree manslaughter and one year each for abuse of a corpse, tampering with physical evidence and concealing the birth of an infant.

Snelling is scheduled to be sentenced on 16 October.

Writer's pick