Kentucky Cheerleader Accused of Hiding Infant's Body Arrested After Romantic Photoshoot
The competitive cheerleader from the University of Kentucky, who stands accused of concealing her deceased infant in a closet, had recently posted professional photographs alongside her boyfriend.
Laken Snelling, aged 21, uploaded a photo montage to TikTok on June 18, which featured the athlete and her significant other striking poses in a field, both dressed in matching white attire.
The images depicted Snelling and the young man with their arms entwined, holding hands, and gazing into one another's eyes.
Her caption for the post consisted of three white heart emojis.
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Additionally, Snelling had shared a video in April featuring herself and the man — whose involvement with Snelling’s pregnancy or the infant's death remains unconfirmed — prior to attending a Megan Moroney concert.
The video, captioned “Ready for you megan,” captured him embracing her from behind and placing a kiss on her cheek.
The current status of Snelling’s relationship with the man is undisclosed.
Snelling’s arrest occurred on Saturday, August 30, facing charges of Abuse of a Corpse, Tampering with Physical Evidence, and Concealing the Birth of an Infant.
In a Lexington, Kentucky, courtroom appearance on Tuesday, September 2, Snelling entered a plea of not guilty to all accusations.
After posting a $100,000 bond, Snelling was released and is currently residing under “home incarceration with no ankle monitor” with her parents in Jefferson City, Tennessee.
Law enforcement officers were dispatched to Snelling’s Lexington residence on Wednesday, August 27, following a report of an unresponsive infant, as detailed in a Lexington Police Department report acquired by LEX 18 News.
An arrest citation indicated that the “infant was discovered wrapped in a towel inside a black trash bag.”
Snelling “confessed to giving birth” to the responding officers at the scene.
The cheerleader further acknowledged “concealing the birth by cleaning all evidence and placing all used cleaning items into a black trash bag, which also contained the infant, who was wrapped in a towel.”
The infant’s cause of death remains under investigation and will be determined by the Fayette County Coroner’s Office.
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For the past three seasons, Snelling was part of the University of Kentucky’s STUNT cheerleading squad. Her Facebook profile indicated she was pursuing a major in Interdisciplinary Disability Studies at the institution.
Her preliminary hearing is set for September 26.
