US Cheerleader Laken Snelling Could Face 20 Years in Prison After Newborn Son Found Dead in Closet

A former University of Kentucky cheerleader has been indicted on a first‑degree manslaughter charge after the body of her newborn son was found in a closet, authorities confirmed. Laken Snelling, 22, now faces the possibility of a lengthy prison sentence as prosecutors prepare to pursue multiple charges in connection with the infant's death.

Indictment and New Charges

On 10 March 2026, a Fayette County grand jury returned a multi‑count indictment against Snelling, adding a first‑degree manslaughter charge to previously filed counts of abuse of a corpse, tampering with physical evidence, and concealing the birth of an infant.

Police in Lexington, Kentucky, initially arrested Snelling in August 2025 after her roommates discovered the infant's body inside a trash bag hidden in a closet in her off‑campus residence. The baby boy was wrapped in a towel when found and was pronounced dead at the scene.

According to the Kentucky Medical Examiner's Office, the child was born alive and subsequently died of asphyxia by undetermined means, a finding that helped prompt prosecutors to seek the enhanced manslaughter charge.

Under Kentucky law, first‑degree manslaughter carries a potential sentence of 10 to 20 years in prison, and convictions on the additional counts could result in further years behind bars.

Circumstances of the Discovery

The case began in late August 2025, when police were called to a residence on Park Avenue in Lexington after concerns for an infant were raised. Her roommates told police they believed she had been concealing a pregnancy for some time and heard strange noises coming from her room during labour.

After the birth, Snelling allegedly cleaned up the scene and left her home to go to McDonald's. Her roommates then discovered the newborn dead in a blood-soaked towel on the floor of her closet, wrapped in a plastic bag. One friend told police the infant was 'cold to the touch.'

Snelling was arrested upon returning to the apartment. In her first police interview, she claimed the baby was stillborn, initially saying she didn't believe the infant was 'breathing or alive', then claiming she had passed out 'on top of the baby' and woke to find him 'turning blue and purple.'

A Fayette County grand jury charged Snelling following a report from the Kentucky Medical Examiner's Office, which found the baby was born alive and died from asphyxia. She now faces charges of first-degree manslaughter, abuse of a corpse, tampering with physical evidence, and concealing the birth of an infant.

More on Her Arrest Affidavit

According to her arrest affidavit, Snelling told police she was conscious for 30 minutes after giving birth before 'falling asleep on top of the baby and going back to sleep.' Court documents state she wrapped her newborn up 'like a burrito' and 'laid next to it,' saying it 'gave her a little comfort in the moment.' Police also alleged she told a medical worker the baby had shown 'a little bit of fetal movement' and made 'a whimper' at birth.

Authorities later executed a search warrant on Snelling's phone and accessed her Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook, and a shared iCloud account. The probe revealed searches 'including different things pertaining to pregnancy' and 'images of her during labour, photos of her doing things ordinary pregnant women should not be doing and a concealed or hidden pregnancy.'

Police noted: 'Other items could have also been deleted in an attempt to hide any evidence of the pregnancy, birth and newborn baby,' including information related to 'the birth of the full-term baby.' Authorities also found 'images of her during labour' that she allegedly 'deleted in an attempt to hide the birth.'

Background and University Affiliation

Snelling was a senior at the University of Kentucky and a member of the institution's STUNT team, a competitive sport derived from cheerleading that combines partner stunts, tumbling, and gymnastics.

Following her arrest in August 2025, she withdrew from the university and is no longer enrolled or involved with the STUNT programme. At the time of her arrest, she was held on a $100,000 (£74,911) surety bond and released to house arrest at her parents' home in Tennessee, where she has remained under supervision while the case progressed.

Arrest Warrant and Legal Proceedings

With the grand jury's recent indictment, an arrest warrant has been issued for Snelling after the upgraded charges were filed. Although she has been under house arrest, prosecutors are seeking to ensure her appearance in court to answer to the manslaughter and related charges.

To date, no arraignment date has been publicly announced. Officials from the Fayette Commonwealth's Attorney Office have said that Snelling's legal team and the prosecution are expected to meet in court in the coming weeks as the case moves toward trial.