A HAUNTING video has resurfaced of a University of Kentucky cheerleader saying she was thankful for her “family” – just months before cops found her newborn dead in a closet.
The short clip, posted on the school’s STUNT cheerleading Instagram page last November, showed the student being asked what she was most grateful for.
University of Kentucky student Laken Snelling was arrested after cops found her dead newborn hidden in a closet[/caption]
Police say that the cheerleader secretly gave birth and tried to hide the baby’s body[/caption]
Snelling now faces charges of abuse of a corpse, tampering with evidence, and concealing the birth of an infant[/caption]
The case has drawn attention because Snelling had previously expressed her desire to be a mother[/caption]
“My friends and family,” she replied with a smile, in a moment that has since taken on chilling new meaning.
The cheerleader, identified as 21-year-old Laken Snelling, was arrested last weekend after police say she secretly gave birth and tried to hide the baby’s body.
Officers in Lexington, Kentucky, were called to a home on Wednesday morning after reports of an unresponsive infant.
When they arrived, they found the baby wrapped in a towel and stuffed inside a black trash bag in a closet.
The infant was pronounced dead at the scene around 10:30 am, local NBC affiliate LEX 18 reported.
Snelling allegedly admitted to cops that she had just given birth and concealed the evidence.
According to an arrest citation, she confessed to cleaning up and placing the infant inside the bag along with the items she used.
The University senior now faces charges of abuse of a corpse, tampering with evidence, and concealing the birth of an infant.
Snelling, a member of Kentucky’s competitive STUNT team, appeared in court on Tuesday in a red dress and heavy makeup.
She kept her head down during the brief hearing and spoke little as she entered a not guilty plea.
The cheerleader agreed to a $100,000 bond and was allowed to return to her parents’ home in Jefferson City, Tennessee.
She will remain there on house arrest until her next court date on September 26, though she wouldn’t be required to wear an ankle monitor.
A mugshot taken after her arrest showed a pale and glum Snelling in a dark blue t-shirt, a far cry from her glamorous social media presence.
Her online profiles often featured bright outfits, beauty pageant appearances, and makeup tutorials.
Timeline of the Case
- August 25 – First day of fall classes at University of Kentucky
- August 27 – Police dispatched, baby boy found dead inside closet
- August 31 – Laken Snelling arrested
- September 1 – Released on $100,000 bond to parents’ home in Tennessee
- September 2 – Pleads not guilty to three charges
- September 26 – Preliminary hearing scheduled
Just weeks before her arrest, she posted on June 11: “There is a pageant for EVERYONE!”
In another TikTok clip, she shared her goals for life, including emojis of a family, a mother holding a baby, and an engagement ring.
The shocking case has drawn attention because Snelling had previously expressed her desire to be a mother.
She grew up in White Pine, Tennessee, and studied Interdisciplinary Disability Studies at the University of Kentucky.
The school confirmed she was a cheerleader, saying: “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,” the statement added.
Police have not yet determined how the baby died, with the Fayette County Coroner’s Office still reviewing the case.
The University of Kentucky didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment by The U.S. Sun.
She has been put under house arrest and due to appear in court next on September 26[/caption]
Snelling, from White Pine, Tennessee, was studying Interdisciplinary Disability Studies at the University of Kentucky[/caption]
