Former Kentucky Cheerleader Sentenced To 10 Years In Prison Over Infant's Death
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Laken Snelling, a former University of Kentucky cheerleader, was sentenced to 10 years in prison Friday after pleading guilty to first-degree manslaughter in the death of her infant son, according to local media reports.
Snelling, who was a senior at the university at the time, was arrested in August 2025 after her roommates reported hearing loud noises coming from her closet. When officers arrived, they found the infant wrapped in a trash bag inside the closet, according to a statement from the city of Lexington.
The Kentucky Medical Examiner’s Office determined the baby was born alive and died from asphyxiation, the statement said.
Snelling was indicted in March on manslaughter and three additional charges. She pleaded guilty in August to first-degree manslaughter, abuse of a corpse, tampering with physical evidence and concealing the birth of an infant.
During her court appearance, Judge Diane Minnifield asked Snelling how she ended the infant’s life. Snelling responded, “I deprived him of oxygen.”
“I was under a lot of emotional stress and my baby came unexpectedly,” Snelling said through tears. “And instead of helping him, I ended his life and afterward I cleaned up and didn’t tell anyone.”
According to court documents, Snelling told investigators she was awake for about 30 minutes after giving birth before passing out on top of the baby. When she woke up, she saw the infant “turning blue and purple.”
Snelling, who was a senior at the university at the time, was arrested in August 2025 after her roommates reported hearing loud noises coming from her closet. When officers arrived, they found the infant wrapped in a trash bag inside the closet, according to a statement from the city of Lexington.
The Kentucky Medical Examiner’s Office determined the baby was born alive and died from asphyxiation, the statement said.
Snelling was indicted in March on manslaughter and three additional charges. She pleaded guilty in August to first-degree manslaughter, abuse of a corpse, tampering with physical evidence and concealing the birth of an infant.
During her court appearance, Judge Diane Minnifield asked Snelling how she ended the infant’s life. Snelling responded, “I deprived him of oxygen.”
“I was under a lot of emotional stress and my baby came unexpectedly,” Snelling said through tears. “And instead of helping him, I ended his life and afterward I cleaned up and didn’t tell anyone.”
According to court documents, Snelling told investigators she was awake for about 30 minutes after giving birth before passing out on top of the baby. When she woke up, she saw the infant “turning blue and purple.”
