Kentucky Cheerleader Charged After Newborn's Body Found in Home Amid Recovery Journey
Laken Snelling, a former cheerleader for the University of Kentucky, had documented her recovery from an ACL injury in the period leading up to law enforcement discovering her newborn's deceased body concealed within her Lexington, Kentucky, residence.
“Making my way back,” the 21-year-old Snelling captioned a TikTok video in January, which showcased a montage of her post-surgical rehabilitation.
Her social media update included the caption, “This has been a journey #aclrecovery.”
The video commenced with an image of her right leg, still bandaged from her ACL operation, before shifting to footage of her using crutches and later rejoining team practice.
Details Surrounding the Arrest of Kentucky Cheerleader Laken Snelling
On Friday, September 5, a spokesperson for the University of Kentucky informed Us Weekly that Snelling is no longer a student and has consequently been removed from the STUNT cheerleading squad.
Snelling entered a plea of not guilty to accusations of mistreating a corpse, obstructing physical evidence, and hiding the delivery of a baby, following her apprehension on August 30. Law enforcement had visited her residence three days prior, responding to a call about an infant who was not responsive.
According to an arrest document acquired by LEX 18 News, officers discovered the infant “enclosed in a towel within a black refuse bag.” Snelling reportedly confessed to having given birth and to “hiding the birth by clearing away any traces, depositing all used cleaning materials into a black trash bag, along with the baby, who was wrapped in a towel.”
Following an autopsy, the Fayette County Coroner’s office could not ascertain the precise cause of death.
Introducing Laken Snelling: Key Facts About the Kentucky Cheerleader
“I recognize the public’s apprehension and emotional response concerning a child’s demise,” Gary Ginn, the Fayette County Coroner, stated in a report seen by Us Weekly. “Our team is undertaking a meticulous and systematic investigation into the death to guarantee that all pertinent details are thoroughly evaluated.”
Such an absence of definitive answers is not uncommon in these circumstances. Dr. Marcello DiStasio, a pathology professor at Yale School of Medicine who is not connected to this particular coroner’s inquiry, informed NBC News that these findings were “entirely typical.”
“It is more probable that no obvious findings were observed, and they suspect an underlying issue that would not present as a visible injury or pathological abnormality; that scenario is more likely,” DiStasio commented.
Snelling was freed after posting a $100,000 bond and is currently residing with her parents in Tennessee under house arrest, without an electronic monitoring device. Her initial court hearing is scheduled for September 26.
