Laaken Ashlee Snelling, a former member of the University of Kentucky’s STUNT team — a competitive sport similar to cheerleading — became the subject of national news coverage after her newborn son was found dead in her off-campus apartment in Lexington, Kentucky, in August 2025. She has since pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter and related charges. Below is a timeline of what has been publicly reported about the case.
Who Is Laken Snelling
Snelling is originally from White Pine, Tennessee. At the time of her arrest, she was a senior at the University of Kentucky, and a university spokesperson confirmed she was a member of the competitive STUNT team, a sport similar to competitive cheerleading. She had been a three-year member of the team and was majoring in Interdisciplinary Disability Studies. She is no longer enrolled at the university.
Discovery of the Infant’s Body
On the morning of August 27, 2025, officers were dispatched to a residence on Park Avenue in Lexington for a report of an unresponsive infant. When officers arrived, they found an infant who was pronounced dead at the scene. According to reporting, the baby was found wrapped in a towel and placed inside a trash bag in a closet in Snelling’s bedroom. Police said the infant was found after roommates reported hearing strange noises and seeing blood in Snelling’s room.
Initial Arrest and Charges
Laken Snelling, then 21 years old, was arrested and booked into the Fayette County Detention Center in Lexington. She was initially charged with abuse of a corpse, tampering with physical evidence, and concealing the birth of an infant. She was released two days later on $100,000 bond and placed on house arrest at her parents’ home in Jefferson City, Tennessee, roughly 200 miles from Lexington.
What Snelling Told Investigators
According to an affidavit cited in news reports, Snelling told police she gave birth on her bedroom floor around 4 a.m. on August 27, 2025. She said she remained awake for about 30 minutes afterward before falling on top of the baby and going back to sleep, and that when she woke again, the newborn was turning blue and purple. She initially told police she did not believe the baby was breathing or alive, then gave differing accounts to hospital staff, including that the baby had made a sound and shown some movement after birth. Investigators also said she had taken photos during the birth but deleted them.
Medical Examiner’s Findings
A central turning point in the case came from the autopsy. The Kentucky Medical Examiner’s Office determined that the infant was born alive, and that his cause of death was asphyxia by undetermined means. This finding — that the baby had been born alive rather than stillborn — is what led prosecutors to pursue a homicide-related charge rather than the original charges alone.
Grand Jury Indictment
On March 10, 2026, a Fayette County grand jury indicted Snelling on charges of first-degree manslaughter, abuse of a corpse, tampering with physical evidence, and concealing the birth of an infant. The Lexington Police Department announced the update, noting Snelling was 22 years old at the time of the indictment. She was arrested again on the manslaughter charge and released on a separate bond posted by her father.
Not Guilty Plea
Laken Snelling pleaded not guilty to all four charges in April 2026. She remained free on bond, and reporting indicated she was living under house arrest at her father’s home in Tennessee while the case proceeded through Fayette County court, with electronic monitoring in place.
Change of Plea: Guilty
The case shifted dramatically on Friday, August 21, 2026, when Snelling appeared in court and changed her plea. She pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter, abuse of a corpse, tampering with physical evidence, and concealing the birth of an infant, appearing beside her attorney.
Snelling’s Courtroom Statement
During the hearing, Snelling addressed the court directly and tearfully. She said she had been under a lot of emotional stress and that her baby came unexpectedly, and that instead of helping him, she cleaned up afterward and did not tell anyone. When the judge asked her to elaborate on how she had ended her baby’s life, Snelling said she had deprived him of oxygen.
The Judge’s Questioning
Judge Diane Minnifield pressed Laken Snelling to clarify what she meant when she said that instead of helping her son, she had done something else, asking her directly to explain what she had done. Snelling’s response — that she had deprived the infant of oxygen — became the basis for the factual admission underlying her guilty plea to manslaughter.
Roommates’ Suspicions
Court reporting also touched on the household dynamic leading up to the birth. According to accounts described in coverage of the case, Snelling’s roommates had suspected she might be pregnant before the incident, and she acknowledged in court that she did not tell anyone after giving birth.
Prosecution’s Sentencing Recommendation
Prosecutors recommended a sentence of 10 years in prison for the first-degree manslaughter charge, along with one year each for the three remaining charges. Under Kentucky law, the judge retains discretion over whether those sentences run concurrently or consecutively.
Potential Prison Exposure
Before the guilty plea, reporting on the case had noted that a first-degree manslaughter conviction in Kentucky carries a potential sentencing range. Kentucky classifies first-degree manslaughter as a Class B felony, carrying a potential 10-to-20-year prison term. The prosecution’s actual recommendation following the guilty plea came in at the lower end of that range.
Where the Case Stands Now
As of the most recent reporting, Snelling has entered guilty pleas on all four charges, and the case now moves toward formal sentencing, where the judge will decide whether to accept the prosecution’s recommendation or impose a different term. Court proceedings in Fayette County will determine the final sentence length and whether the various charges are served concurrently or one after another.
Public and Media Attention
The case drew significant national coverage, in part because of Snelling’s status as a college athlete at a high-profile university, and in part because of the unusual and disturbing circumstances of the infant’s discovery. Outlets including NBC News, Court TV, People, and regional Kentucky news organizations covered each stage of the proceedings, from the initial 911 call through the grand jury indictment and guilty plea.
Conclusion
The case of Laken Snelling moved from a 911 call about an unresponsive infant in August 2025 to a guilty plea on first-degree manslaughter and related charges in August 2026. What began as an investigation into a concealed birth escalated once the Kentucky Medical Examiner’s Office determined the baby had been born alive, transforming the legal exposure Snelling faced. With her guilty plea entered, the remaining question is what sentence the court will impose at her upcoming sentencing hearing.
FAQs
1. Who is Laken Snelling?
She is a former University of Kentucky student and member of the school’s STUNT competitive team, from White Pine, Tennessee, who was charged in connection with her newborn son’s death.
2. What happened to Laken Snelling’s baby?
Her newborn was found dead, wrapped in a towel inside a trash bag in a closet at her Lexington apartment in August 2025. The medical examiner determined he was born alive and died of asphyxia.
3. What charges did Snelling face?
First-degree manslaughter, abuse of a corpse, tampering with physical evidence, and concealing the birth of an infant.
4. Did Laken Snelling plead guilty?
Yes. On August 21, 2026, she changed her plea from not guilty to guilty on all four charges.
5. How much prison time is Snelling facing?
Prosecutors recommended 10 years for the manslaughter charge plus one year each for the other three charges; a judge will decide the final sentence.
6. Is Laken Snelling still enrolled at the University of Kentucky?
No, she is no longer enrolled at the university.
7. Where was Snelling living during the case?
She was under house arrest at her father’s home in Jefferson City, Tennessee, with electronic monitoring, for much of the proceedings.
