Laken Ashlee Snelling, a 21-year-old member of the University of Kentucky's cheer stunt squad, has been arrested and charged after a deceased infant was discovered in a trash bag inside her closet. The charges include corpse abuse, tampering with physical evidence, and concealing the birth of an infant.
Police were called to Snelling's home in Lexington, Kentucky, on 27 August following a report of a deceased infant in a closet. According to the arrest citation, the baby was found wrapped in a towel inside a black trash bag. Snelling allegedly admitted to giving birth and attempting to conceal the birth by cleaning evidence and placing the infant and cleaning items in the bag.
An autopsy conducted by the local coroner's office was inconclusive regarding the cause of death, and further tests are pending. Snelling was released on a $100,000 bond and pleaded not guilty at a preliminary court appearance on Tuesday. She has been ordered to live with her parents and is due back in court on 26 September.
Snelling, originally from White Pine, Tennessee, had been a member of the university's competitive cheer stunt squad for three seasons. The more serious charges against her, corpse abuse and tampering with 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 case comes amid heightened scrutiny following the overturning of Roe v Wade in 2022, which has led to criminal charges against women for pregnancy losses. It remains unclear whether Snelling gave birth, suffered a miscarriage or stillbirth, or underwent a self-managed abortion, which is legal in Kentucky.
