University of Kentucky cheerleader charged with concealing birth after newborn found in closet

A University of Kentucky cheerleader has been charged with abusing a corpse, tampering with physical evidence and concealing the birth of an infant after police found the body of a newborn boy inside a trash bag hidden in a bedroom closet in Lexington. Laken Snelling, 21, was arrested on Aug. 31 following the discovery and is free on a $100,000 bond under home incarceration at her parents’ house in Jefferson City, Tennessee, while she awaits a grand jury decision on formal indictment.

New court documents and court appearances have shed light on the timeline and the actions Snelling reportedly took in the days surrounding the birth. The 21-year-old former UK student appeared in court on Friday and waived her right to a preliminary hearing during a brief 35-second appearance. Prosecutors have not yet announced whether she will be indicted.

[ ""]

According to newly released court documents, when Snelling was transported to the University of Kentucky Hospital the day after the birth, she spoke with staff at the Labor and Delivery unit and described the delivery in a way that differed from her earlier account. She told medical personnel that her baby had shown “a little bit of fetal movement,” that the infant had made a whimper, and that she “guessed” he was alive at birth. These statements contrast with the account she gave to police at the time of her arrest, in which she said she delivered at about 4 a.m., did not believe the baby was alive, then passed out and woke to find the infant blue and purple.

The newborn was found wrapped in a towel, placed inside a garbage bag, and hidden in Snelling’s closet, according to the arrest citation. Investigators say she admitted to police that she delivered the baby in secret and attempted to conceal both the child and related evidence. The infant appeared to be full term, according to case records cited by the Kentucky Kernel, and Snelling reportedly did not attend classes on the day after the birth; she later went to the university’s student clinic but did not enter the facility.

Court filings indicate investigators expanded their inquiry to Snelling’s digital life. A search warrant on her phone and access to her Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook and shared iCloud accounts with her mother revealed pregnancy-related internet activity, including photos of Snelling during labor and images of activities that authorities say are inconsistent with a pregnancy. The warrants also indicate that data related to concealing the pregnancy may be present on the devices, including deleted photos from the time of labor.

Snelling remains out on bond and is under home incarceration, ordered to live with her parents in Tennessee as she awaits a grand jury decision on whether she will be formally indicted. A timeline from the Fayette County coroner indicates that an autopsy on the newborn was inconclusive, leaving the cause of death undetermined pending further analysis.

In the months leading up to the birth, Snelling had posted images on social media that suggested she was pregnant, including photos that appeared to show a pregnancy bump. Local coverage has noted that Snelling had been a prominent member of UK’s STUNT team and that the social media activity around her pregnancy became part of the ongoing investigation. Some coverage has also highlighted allegations from former acquaintances about Snelling’s behavior prior to the incident, though investigators have not stated that such claims are connected to the infant’s death.

The case also involves questions about paternity and timing. Izaiah Hall, a former UK quarterback who dated Snelling, has taken a DNA test to determine whether he is the father of the deceased infant, a detail reported by local outlets in connection with court proceedings and public filings.

Snelling’s status and the case’s trajectory are expected to unfold as the grand jury considers whether to indict and as prosecutors determine the appropriate charges based on evolving evidence. Dominion over the case rests with the Fayette County Circuit Court, and the next court date listed is September 26, when further proceedings are anticipated.

The university has not issued a public statement beyond confirming Snelling’s status as a former student and participant in campus athletics. The incident has raised questions about privacy, student welfare, and the procedures surrounding deliveries outside of hospital settings, as investigators piece together the sequence of events and determine how the newborn died, if at all, and who, if anyone, may be legally responsible for the infant’s death.

Authorities say the investigation continues, and officials have stressed that no final conclusions have been reached about the infant’s death or the precise timeline of the birth. The case remains active as prosecutors prepare to present evidence to a grand jury and determine whether indictments are warranted.