College cheerleader's newborn found dead in trash bag

A University of Kentucky senior cheerleader is facing serious charges after police discovered a newborn wrapped in a towel and stuffed inside a trash bag at her off-campus apartment.

Wrapped in a towel

Laken Snelling, 21, was arrested last month and charged with abuse of a corpse, tampering with physical evidence, and concealing the birth of an infant. She pleaded not guilty in court on Tuesday, September 2.

Authorities say officers were called to an address in the 400 block of Park Avenue near the UK campus on August 27 after receiving reports of an unresponsive infant. The baby boy was pronounced dead at the scene around 10:30 a.m. on August 30.

According to the arrest citation, the infant “was located wrapped in a towel inside of a black trash bag.” Snelling admitted to police that she had given birth and then cleaned up the evidence, placing “all cleaning items used inside of a black trash bag, including the infant, who was wrapped in a towel.”

Competitive cheerleading

Fayette County Coroner Gary Ginn confirmed on September 3 that the autopsy results were inconclusive. “I understand the community’s concern and sensitivity surrounding the death of a child. We are conducting a thorough and methodical death investigation to ensure all facts are carefully considered,” he said. Additional testing is underway to determine the cause of death.

Snelling, who competed on the school’s competitive cheerleading STUNT team for three seasons, is originally from White Pine, Tennessee, according to an official team roster.

At the time of her arrest, she was studying Interdisciplinary Disability Studies.

Following her arrest, Snelling was booked at the Fayette County Detention Center before being released on September 2 on $100,000 bond. She has since been placed on house arrest at her parents’ home in Jefferson City, Tennessee.

The disturbing case has gained attention not only for its tragic circumstances but also because of Snelling’s social media activity leading up to the incident.

According to the Daily Mail, she posted a TikTok featuring emojis of an engagement ring, a house, money, and a baby bottle-feeding icon — hinting at dreams of motherhood just months before her arrest.

WKYT reported that the autopsy identified the newborn as a boy, though it remains unclear whether Snelling suffered a miscarriage, a stillbirth, or gave birth to a living child.

The University of Kentucky addressed the case in a statement to local outlet WLEX, confirming her connection to the team: “We can confirm that she has been a member of the STUNT team for the last three seasons. All other questions should be directed to the Lexington Police.”

Under Kentucky law, abuse of a corpse and tampering with physical evidence are Class D felonies — carrying penalties of one to five years in prison and fines up to $10,000.

Snelling’s preliminary hearing is scheduled for September 26.