Kentucky Cheerleader Laken Snelling’s Arrest: Everything to Know

University of Kentucky STUNT cheerleader Laken Snelling is facing charges after allegedly hiding her dead infant in a closet in her Lexington, Kentucky, home.

Snelling, 21, was arrested on August 27 after police were called to her Park Avenue residence, where the baby was pronounced dead. The Wildcats cheerleader pleaded not guilty to three charges and was released on $100,000. She’s now on “home incarceration with no ankle monitor” and is living with her parents in Tennessee.

The investigation is ongoing, and Lexington police have asked anyone with information about the case to contact them. Snelling’s preliminary court date is scheduled for September 26.

Keep scrolling for everything to know about the baby’s death.

Who Is Laken Snelling? 5 Things to Know About Kentucky Cheerleader

Who Is Laken Snelling?

Snelling is a junior on the University of Kentucky STUNT cheerleading team who, as of this writing, remains on the team’s roster, per the Wildcats’ athletics website. According to USA Cheer, STUNT specializes in “the technical and athletic components of cheer, including partner stunts, pyramids, basket tosses, group jumps and tumbling.”

The White Pine, Tennessee, native is also a pageant queen, having competed in the 2023 Jefferson County Fairest of the Fair.

Her TikTok indicates that as of June, Snelling had a boyfriend whose account appears to have been deactivated.

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What Charges Does She Face?

Snelling pleaded not guilty to charges of abuse of a corpse, tampering with physical evidence and concealing the birth of an infant.

Has Snelling Said Anything About the Situation?

Though she has not said anything publicly, Snelling provided information to officers at the scene, according to an arrest citation obtained by LEX 18 News. In it, authorities say Snelling admitted to giving birth to the baby and “admitted to concealing the birth by cleaning any evidence, placing all cleaning items used inside of a black trash bag, including the infant, who was wrapped in a towel.”

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How Did Laken Snelling’s Baby Die?

An autopsy failed to determine how the infant died, with the coroner’s office saying “extensive microscopic analyses are essential to determine the cause and manner of death.”

“I understand the community’s concern and sensitivity surrounding the death of a child,” Fayette County Coroner Gary Ginn said in a report obtained by Us Weekly. “We are conducting a thorough and methodical death investigation to ensure all facts are carefully considered.”

What Has the University Said About Her Arrest?

The university released a statement after Snelling’s arrest, directing media inquiries to the local police.

“We can confirm that she has been a member of the STUNT team for the last three seasons,” the statement read. “All other questions should be directed to the Lexington Police.”