Former UK Student Indicted for Manslaughter in Newborn Death

A Fayette County grand jury indicted 22-year-old Laken Snelling, a former University of Kentucky competitive cheerleader, on first-degree manslaughter and related charges in connection with the death of her newborn son, found concealed in her Lexington apartment last summer.

The incident occurred on August 27, 2025, in Snelling's off-campus residence in the 400 block of Park Avenue. According to court records, Snelling gave birth to the baby boy around 4 a.m. that day. Her roommates reported hearing loud noises from her bedroom starting at that time, which lasted about an hour and dislodged a picture from the wall. One roommate messaged Snelling via Snapchat inquiring about the sounds, suspecting something had fallen.

Snelling responded shortly after 9 a.m., attributing the noises to her passing out in her room after feeling unwell and not eating. She mentioned plans to see a doctor. After she left the apartment, her roommates entered her bedroom out of concern and discovered a blood-soaked towel on the closet floor along with a plastic bag containing evidence of childbirth, including the infant's body wrapped in a towel. They immediately called police, who arrived around 10:30...