Former UK Athlete Pleads Guilty to Manslaughter in Newborn Son's Death

Laken Snelling, a 22-year-old former University of Kentucky athlete, pleaded guilty on Friday, August 21, 2026, to killing her newborn son in a case that has drawn significant attention. Snelling admitted in a Fayette County courtroom to first-degree manslaughter, abuse of a corpse, tampering with physical evidence, and concealing the birth of an infant. Prosecutors have recommended a total sentence of 13 years in prison, with sentencing scheduled for October 16.

The case stems from an incident on August 27, 2025, when Lexington police were called to an off-campus home on Park Avenue. Snelling's roommates reported finding a blood-soaked towel and a plastic bag containing evidence of childbirth. Officers discovered the newborn boy dead, wrapped in a towel and placed inside a black plastic bag hidden in a closet. The Kentucky Medical Examiner's Office later confirmed the infant was born alive and died from asphyxia by undetermined means.

In court on Friday, Snelling provided a direct account of the events. When Judge Diane Minnifield asked how she ended her baby's life, Snelling replied, "I deprived him of oxygen." She told the court, "I was under a lot of emotional stress and my...