A chilling discovery last year has led to the indictment of a 21-year-old former University of Kentucky student athlete, Laken Snelling, on charges of first-degree manslaughter and multiple felonies. The case centers around the tragic death of her newborn son, whose body was found hidden within a closet.
Police responded to a frantic call on August 20th, arriving to find an unresponsive infant already deceased. The baby was discovered wrapped in a towel, concealed inside a black trash bag – a scene that immediately sparked a homicide investigation.
According to authorities, Snelling, a member of the university’s stunt team, deliberately concealed her pregnancy and the birth of her child. The grand jury, after careful deliberation, determined that first-degree manslaughter was the most appropriate charge, given the circumstances.
Snelling initially told hospital staff that she believed her newborn was alive, noting faint whimpers and slight fetal movement immediately after birth. She claimed to have been awake for almost half an hour, lying on top of the baby, before losing consciousness.
When she awoke, Snelling reportedly found the infant’s skin changing color, turning blue and purple. This horrifying realization was followed by a disturbing act of concealment, as she allegedly wrapped the baby “like a burrito” and remained beside him, seeking a strange sense of solace.
A Fayette County grand jury has now formally indicted Snelling on charges including first-degree manslaughter, abuse of a corpse, tampering with evidence, and concealing the birth of an infant. The infant was cold to the touch when discovered, indicating a significant passage of time.
Adding to the disturbing details, Snelling’s roommates reported hearing unusual noises coming from her room. She then told them she was seeking medical attention for a fainting spell caused by lack of food, and was later seen picking up food from a fast-food restaurant.
However, she never actually entered the student health clinic, and a subsequent forensic examination of her phone revealed a deliberate attempt to erase evidence of the pregnancy and birth, including deleted labor photos.
Snelling had previously been charged with tampering with evidence, concealing the birth, and abuse of a corpse, to which she has pleaded not guilty. The university confirmed she was a senior at the time of her arrest, leaving a community grappling with the heartbreaking details of this case.
