A former cheerleader from the University of Kentucky is now facing more severe charges following the troubling findings of a medical examiner related to the death of her newborn.
Laken Snelling was taken into custody in August after her baby was discovered deceased. At the time, she was a senior at the university and performed on the STUNT team, which had placed second in last year’s NCAA tournament. Subsequently, she decided to leave school.
Snelling reportedly told the police that she had given birth to the child at around 4 a.m. on August 27, claiming the baby “fell on the bedroom floor.” She said she initially believed her baby was neither breathing nor alive, and then lost consciousness about half an hour later.
When she regained awareness, Snelling stated she quickly noticed the infant turning blue and purple. Believing the child was dead, she wrapped him like a burrito and placed him next to her for comfort, as documented in court filings.
Moreover, she acknowledged to investigators that she concealed the birth by cleaning up all evidence, including the infant, which was wrapped in a towel, and disposed of the cleaning materials.
Originally, Snelling faced charges for abuse of a corpse, tampering with physical evidence, and concealing the birth of her child. Since September, she has been under home confinement at her parents’ residence in Tennessee and has pleaded not guilty to those charges.
However, with recent revelations from the medical examiner, new charges have been added. The examination concluded that the infant was born alive, with asphyxiation being determined as the cause of death from an unidentified source.
Fayette Commonwealth’s Attorney Kimberly Baird noted that the grand jury considered details of the case, including various levels of homicide. They ultimately decided to indict Snelling for first-degree manslaughter, in addition to the previous charges.
If she is found guilty of the manslaughter charge, she could face up to 20 years in prison; the other three charges carry a potential maximum of an additional 11 years.
Under Kentucky law, first-degree manslaughter involves an intention to inflict serious bodily harm or cause death, often in the context of extreme emotional disturbance.
Snelling’s arraignment is set for April 10 at 8:30 a.m. A warrant for her arrest remains active, and Lexington police have not responded to inquiries regarding the matter.
