Former University of Kentucky Cheerleader Laken Snelling Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison After Newborn Son’s Death

Laken Snelling, a former University of Kentucky cheerleader, has been sentenced to 10 years in prison following the death of her newborn son, a case that shocked the community and drew widespread attention.

Snelling, 22, was sentenced on October 16, 2026, after pleading guilty in August to first-degree manslaughter, abuse of a corpse, tampering with physical evidence and concealing the birth of an infant. The judge ordered the sentences for the additional offenses to run at the same time as the manslaughter sentence.

The case began in August 2025, when police in Lexington, Kentucky, responded to a report involving an unresponsive newborn. Officers found the infant inside a trash bag in a closet at an off-campus residence. The medical examiner later determined that the baby had been born alive and died from asphyxiation.

During her guilty plea, Snelling acknowledged that she had deprived the infant of oxygen. She told the court that she had been under significant emotional stress and that the birth had been unexpected. Her statement marked a key moment in the proceedings as she accepted responsibility for her actions.

Investigators also examined evidence that Snelling had allegedly attempted to conceal the birth and remove evidence related to the pregnancy. Those allegations formed the basis of the additional charges to which she pleaded guilty.

At sentencing, the court imposed a 10-year prison term. Snelling was taken into custody to begin serving her sentence.

The case has raised difficult questions about concealed pregnancies, the circumstances surrounding unexpected births, and the support available to people experiencing severe emotional distress. While the legal proceedings have reached a sentencing stage, the tragedy continues to affect those connected to the child and the wider community.

Source:PEOPLE