Former Cheerleader Jailed 10 Years After Newborn Found Dead

 

Former Kentucky Cheerleader Laken Snelling Sentenced to 10 Years After Newborn Son Found Dead in Closet

Lexington, Kentucky - Former University of Kentucky cheerleader Laken Snelling, 22, was sentenced to 10 years in prison on Friday, October 16, 2026, after pleading guilty to killing her newborn son and hiding his body in a trash bag inside her bedroom closet.

WHAT HAPPENED:

According to Lexington Police, the incident occurred on August 27, 2025, at Snelling's off-campus residence in the 400 block of Park Avenue. Her two roommates called police after they found blood on her bedroom floor and mattress and heard unusual sounds and crying from her room.

When officers arrived, they found the newborn baby boy wrapped in a towel, then placed inside a black trash bag, and stuffed inside her closet. Emergency responders pronounced the child dead at the scene. The Fayette County Coroner's Office later confirmed the baby was born alive, was full-term, and died from asphyxiation due to deprivation of oxygen.

INVESTIGATION REVEALS HIDDEN PREGNANCY:

Investigators seized Snelling's phone, laptop, and checked her Snapchat, Facebook, Instagram and iCloud accounts. According to police records, Snelling had deleted multiple photos of herself pregnant and had searched about concealing pregnancy. Her roommates told detectives they had suspected she was pregnant for months, but she denied it and wore baggy clothes.

During initial questioning, Snelling gave conflicting statements. She first told police, "I gave birth to a baby which fell onto the floor of my bedroom." She then said she fell asleep on top of the infant for about 30 minutes after giving birth around 4 a.m. and woke up to find him "turning blue and purple." She admitted she did not call 911 and instead cleaned up the blood and hid the body.

COURT PLEA AND CONFESSION:

Snelling was initially arrested on September 1, 2025, and charged with abuse of a corpse and tampering with evidence. She pleaded not guilty at first. However, on August 18, 2026, nearly a year later, she changed her plea to guilty on four charges: first-degree manslaughter, abuse of a corpse, tampering with physical evidence, and concealing the birth of an infant.

In an emotional hearing, crying in front of Judge Diane Minnifield at Fayette Circuit Court, she said: "I was under a lot of emotional stress and my baby came unexpectedly. And instead of helping him, I ended his life. I deprived him of oxygen. And afterwards, I cleaned up and didn't tell anyone."

SENTENCING AND FAMILY'S HEARTBREAK:

At the sentencing hearing on October 16, the court revealed the baby had been named McCoy Cade Hall by his father's family. Family members gave victim impact statements. The baby's grandmother said, "As a grandparent, you imagine the memories you'll make with your grandchildren - first words, kisses, and all the little moments that become lifelong memories. For Cade, those possibilities were taken away before he ever had the chance to experience them."

The baby's father also addressed the court, saying his family was crushed and that he does not wish the worst on Laken.

Judge Diane Minnifield sentenced her to 10 years in prison for manslaughter, plus one year each for the other three charges to run concurrently. Prosecutors had asked for 13 years total. Snelling will have to serve at least 85% of her sentence before being eligible for parole and is not eligible for probation.

BACKGROUND:

Laken Snelling was a well-known member of the University of Kentucky's competitive STUNT cheer team. She was a student at UK at the time of the incident and withdrew from the university immediately after her arrest. Her Facebook and Instagram showed her cheerleading photos, which went viral after the case.

The case has sparked debate across the US about mental health, safe-haven laws, and support for young mothers in crisis.

Source: Lexington Police Department, Fayette Circuit Court records, WKYT, WLEX, People Magazine

Source: NGN NEWS International Desk

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Disclaimer: This report is based on court records and initial US media reports. Image is for representation purpose only.