Laken Ashlee Snelling, a 21-year-old member of the University of Kentucky's competitive cheer stunt squad, has been arrested and charged after the body of a newborn was discovered hidden in a closet at her home in Lexington, Kentucky.
According to police, officers were called to Snelling's residence on 27 August following a report of a deceased infant found in a closet. The baby was wrapped in a towel inside a black trash bag. Snelling was read her Miranda rights and allegedly admitted to giving birth and attempting to conceal the birth by cleaning evidence and placing cleaning items, along with the infant, in the trash bag.
Snelling faces charges of corpse abuse, tampering with physical evidence, and concealing the birth of an infant. Both corpse abuse and tampering with physical evidence are class D felonies under Kentucky law, carrying potential sentences of one to five years in prison and fines up to $10,000.
The local coroner's office conducted an autopsy, but the cause of death was inconclusive, with further tests required. Snelling was released on a $100,000 bond and pleaded not guilty at a preliminary court appearance on Tuesday. She was ordered to live with her parents, and her next hearing is tentatively set for 26 September.
The University of Kentucky confirmed Snelling had been a member of the cheer stunt squad for the past three seasons. It remains unclear whether Snelling gave birth, suffered a miscarriage or stillbirth, or underwent a self-managed abortion. Since the overturning of Roe v Wade in 2022, several women have faced criminal charges after miscarriages, raising concerns about the criminalisation of pregnancy loss.
