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Laken Snelling, 22, a former member of the University of Kentucky’s STUNT team, entered a guilty plea Friday to charges stemming from the death of her newborn son. The Fayette County grand jury had indicted Snelling on multiple counts, including first-degree manslaughter, abuse of a corpse, tampering with physical evidence, and concealing the birth of an infant. She initially pleaded not guilty before reversing her position in court.
During her court appearance, Snelling acknowledged her actions while visibly emotional. When Judge Diane Minnifield asked how she ended the baby’s life, Snelling stated: “I deprived him of oxygen.” She further explained that she was experiencing significant emotional stress when the unexpected birth occurred and chose to end the infant’s life rather than seek help.
Emergency responders in Lexington discovered the infant’s remains on August 27, 2024, wrapped in a black trash bag inside a closet. The child’s body was cold when located. Court documents indicate Snelling heard the newborn “whimper” at birth and observed fetal movement, suggesting signs of life at delivery. After falling asleep on top of the infant, she reportedly awoke to find the baby “turning blue and purple” and believed he was deceased.
Snelling subsequently wrapped the child “like a burrito” and remained beside the body, claiming the proximity provided her comfort. She then contacted her roommates with false pretenses, visited a McDonald’s restaurant, and went to the student health clinic without entering. Evidence from her phone revealed she had deleted labor photographs and pregnancy documentation.
Commonwealth’s Attorney Kimberly Baird indicated that defense counsel approached prosecutors to negotiate the plea arrangement. The grand jury indicted Snelling for first-degree manslaughter and offered a disposition that prosecutors accepted. She faces up to 10 years in prison.
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