Laken Snelling, ex-University of Kentucky student, pleads guilty to death of baby found dead in closet

Laken Snelling, a 22-year-old former University of Kentucky student-athlete, pleaded guilty in a Fayette County courtroom on Friday to first-degree manslaughter in the death of her newborn son, whose body was discovered in a trash bag inside a closet. The infant was found unresponsive on August 27, 2024, following a call to authorities from a residence in Lexington, Kentucky. Snelling, who was a member of the university’s STUNT team, initially entered a plea of not guilty after being indicted by a grand jury on multiple charges, including abuse of a corpse, tampering with physical evidence, and concealing the birth of an infant. However, she changed her plea during the court proceeding, which was presided over by Judge Diane Minnifield. During the hearing, Snelling appeared visibly emotional, stating that she was under significant emotional stress when her baby was born unexpectedly. She admitted to ending the infant’s life and subsequently cleaning up the scene without informing anyone. When asked specifically how she caused the baby’s death, Snelling said she deprived him of oxygen. In response to questions regarding the tampering with physical evidence charge, she mentioned wrapping the baby in towels and placing them in a plastic bag. She also acknowledged that she did not disclose the birth of her child to anyone. The incident originated when officers were called to a residence on August 27 for a report of an unresponsive infant. Upon arrival, they discovered the child’s remains inside a black trash bag in a closet. According to a press release from the city of Lexington, the baby’s body was already cold. The Kentucky Medical Examiner’s Office later concluded that the infant was born alive, though the exact cause of death remained undetermined, classified as asphyxia by unspecified means. Police indicated that Snelling concealed the evidence of giving birth from her roommates, as noted in a police citation. Snelling reportedly informed hospital staff that she heard the newborn whimper at birth and guessed he was still alive. She described seeing the baby turn blue and purple upon waking from a brief period of unconsciousness following childbirth. She claimed she wrapped the infant in a burrito-like fashion and lay beside him, finding comfort in the act. After this, she told her roommates she intended to visit a doctor due to fainting from lack of food. However, she did not enter the student health clinic, instead purchasing McDonald’s food and heading there but not going inside. A subsequent examination of Snelling’s phone revealed that she had deleted photographs related to labor and evidence of her pregnancy. Snelling faces up to 10 years in prison for the most severe charge of first-degree manslaughter. The sentencing hearing is scheduled for October 16. Her attorney has not yet commented on the case, nor have representatives from the Fayette Commonwealth's Attorney's Office. The case has drawn attention due to Snelling’s status as a former University of Kentucky athlete and the circumstances surrounding the discovery of the infant’s body. The legal proceedings have been marked by the evolving nature of the charges and the plea agreement. Initially, the case was set to proceed through the grand jury process, but the defense and prosecution ultimately reached a resolution with a guilty plea. Commonwealth's attorney Kimberly Baird explained that the case required direct involvement from the grand jury rather than simply entering a plea. The grand jury returned an indictment for first-degree manslaughter and later proposed a plea deal, which the prosecution accepted. Snelling’s actions have raised numerous questions about the sequence of events leading to the infant’s death. While she described the situation as highly stressful and unexpected, the medical examiner’s findings indicate the baby was born alive. This adds complexity to the narrative, as the determination of whether the infant was alive at the time of the alleged asphyxiation remains central to the case. The investigation into the incident continues, with further details potentially emerging during the upcoming sentencing hearing.