University of Kentucky cheerleader arrested after infant found dead in closet near campus
21-year-old student charged after police say the newborn was discovered wrapped in a towel inside a black trash bag
A University of Kentucky student and competitive cheerleader was arrested Sunday after police said the body of an infant she had given birth to was found inside a closet wrapped in a towel and placed in a black trash bag.
Lexington police said officers responded to a residence near campus after calls about an unresponsive infant. Officers located the newborn "wrapped in a towel inside of a black trash bag," in a closet, according to a police report obtained by local media. The child was pronounced dead at the scene.
Police identified the suspect as 21-year-old Laken Snelling and said she was interviewed at the scene and "admitted to giving birth," according to reporting that cited the police report. Snelling was taken into custody and faces charges including abuse of a corpse, tampering with evidence and concealing the birth of an infant, police said. Booking records indicate she was held at the Fayette County Detention Center.
The Lexington Police Department issued a statement detailing the response but did not release a cause of death. Investigators have not provided further information about when the birth occurred or what led to the discovery. The department said the case remains under investigation.
Snelling is listed as a member of the University of Kentucky cheer squad. The university did not immediately respond to requests for comment about the arrest or the student’s status.
The case comes amid a broader legal backdrop in Kentucky: nearly all abortions in the state have been illegal since 2022, following changes to state law. That context was cited in local coverage of the incident but authorities have not linked the legal environment to the circumstances of this case.
Local prosecutors will review the investigation and determine whether to pursue additional charges. No court hearings were immediately scheduled, and Snelling is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
The Lexington Police Department encouraged anyone with information about the incident to contact investigators. Further updates will depend on the ongoing review by law enforcement and medical authorities.