Kentucky Cheerleader Charged in Infant's Death Appears in Court
A competitive cheerleader from the University of Kentucky, facing allegations of placing her deceased infant in a closet, made a court appearance on Tuesday, September 2.
Laken Snelling, aged 21, entered a plea of not guilty to accusations of Abuse of a Corpse, Tampering with Physical Evidence, and Concealing the Birth of an Infant during proceedings in a Lexington, Kentucky courtroom.
Snelling was granted release on a $100,000 bond and is currently under "home incarceration without an ankle monitor" while residing with her parents in Jefferson City, Tennessee.
The cheerleader, a member of the University of Kentucky’s STUNT team for the last three seasons, was taken into custody on Saturday, August 30.
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Law enforcement officers were sent to Snelling's Lexington residence on Wednesday, August 27, following a report of an unresponsive baby, as per a Lexington Police Department record secured by LEX 18 News.
An arrest citation, also acquired by the aforementioned news source, stated that the "infant was discovered enveloped in a towel within a black refuse bag."
During her interview with officials at the location, Snelling "confessed to having given birth."
The citation further indicates that Snelling "admitted to hiding the birth by clearing away all evidence, putting all utilized cleaning supplies into a black trash bag, along with the infant, who was wrapped in a towel."
The cause of the infant's death will be ascertained by the Fayette County Coroner’s Office following a thorough investigation.
The Lexington Police Department's official website states that they are "actively continuing their inquiry" into the fatality.
Snelling’s biographical information remains accessible on the University of Kentucky’s STUNT team web page.
“We can verify her membership in the STUNT team for the past three seasons,” the university declared in an official statement. “Any further inquiries should be addressed to the Lexington Police.”
USA Cheer states that STUNT emphasizes “the technical and athletic aspects of cheerleading, encompassing partner stunts, pyramid formations, basket tosses, group jumps, and tumbling.”
University of Kentucky Cheerleader Apprehended Following Discovery of Deceased Infant in Closet
“These components are combined into brief routines that opposing teams must execute simultaneously on the mat,” the organization explains. “The squad demonstrating superior skill performance secures the round and the point, gaining the privilege to select the subsequent routine level.”
Snelling pursued a major in Interdisciplinary Disability Studies at the University of Kentucky, as indicated on her Facebook profile.
Beyond her involvement in cheerleading, Snelling also participated actively in beauty pageants within her native state of Tennessee.
Snelling’s initial court hearing is set for September 26.
