University of Kentucky Athlete Pleads Not Guilty in Newborn Death Case

Laken Snelling, a 21-year-old senior and member of the University of Kentucky's STUNT team, has pleaded not guilty to charges including concealing the birth of an infant, abuse of a corpse, and tampering with physical evidence after police found her deceased newborn hidden in a closet. Snelling was arrested after officers responded to reports of an unresponsive infant, who was pronounced dead at the scene; the baby was discovered wrapped in a towel inside a black trash bag. Snelling admitted to giving birth and concealing the birth by clearing evidence, and she was released on a $100,000 bond with house arrest at her parents' home in Tennessee. Social media posts from Snelling revealed her previous aspiration to become a mother, listing parenthood among her life goals. The Fayette County Coroner's Office is still determining the infant's cause of death, and the investigation remains ongoing. University representatives confirmed Snelling's student status and participation in STUNT, described as a fast-growing female sport focused on cheerleading's technical and athletic components.