Former cheerleader indicted on first-degree manslaughter charge in newborn baby’s death

LEXINGTON, Ky. (TNND) — A grand jury in Kentucky indicted 22-year-old Laken Snelling on a first-degree manslaughter charge in connection with the death of her newborn baby boy, according to authorities.

The Lexington Police Department announced the update in the case on Tuesday.

Snelling, a former University of Kentucky student and cheerleader, had previously faced charges that included abuse of a corpse, tampering with physical evidence, and concealing the birth of an infant after police found a newborn’s body in her closet on Aug. 31, 2025.

Police said the infant, who was wrapped in a towel and hidden in a trash bag, was found after roommates reported hearing strange noises and seeing blood in Snelling’s off-campus room.

According to authorities, an autopsy later determined the baby was born alive, with “asphyxia by undetermined means” listed as the cause of death, prompting the grand jury’s decision to add the more serious manslaughter charge.

“They were given the information about homicide, the four levels of homicide and then deliberated and decided that manslaughter first degree was the charge that should come out of the grand jury,” Fayette Commonwealth’s Attorney Kimberly Baird said of the grand jury, per WKYT.

During questioning after her arrest, Snelling admitted she gave birth alone, fell asleep beside the newborn, and later placed the baby’s body and placenta in a trash bag before trying to clean the scene, according to court filings.

Snelling was released on house arrest at her father’s home in Tennessee after posting bond and has since withdrawn from the University of Kentucky.

If convicted of first-degree manslaughter, she could face 10 to 20 years in prison under Kentucky law, with additional prison time possible for the other charges.

According to WKYT, Baird said Snelling’s next appearance in court will likely come within the next few weeks.