A Kentucky woman named Laken Snelling, 21, a former University of Kentucky cheerleader and beauty pageant contestant, was arrested after a horrifying discovery. She had given birth and hidden her newborn’s body in a closet. What was meant to be a milestone in any young woman’s life turned into a grim secret that authorities only uncovered after police were called to a home on Park Avenue in Lexington.
According to reports, officers arrived Wednesday morning to find an unresponsive infant at the Kentucky residence. The baby, sadly pronounced dead at the scene, had been wrapped in a towel and placed inside a black trash bag in a closet. The arrest citation detailed how Snelling had “concealed the birth by cleaning any evidence, placing all cleaning items used inside of a black trash bag, including the infant.” She admitted to officers, after being read her rights, that she had given birth and hidden the newborn, though the exact cause of death is still pending investigation by the Fayette County Coroner’s Office, per Daily Mail.
The case has rocked the University of Kentucky community. Snelling, a member of the school’s competitive STUNT cheer program, had been with the team for the past three seasons. The university released a brief statement confirming her involvement while referring further questions to the Lexington Police Department. Social media adds a layer of chilling contrast: Snelling, originally from White Pine, Tennessee, had posted in June about her dreams of motherhood, even stating, “There is a pageant for EVERYONE!” and sharing videos about wanting a family. The irony is hard to miss, given the tragic events that unfolded.
Kentucky College Cheerleader and Beauty Queen Hid Her Dead Baby In The Closet
This story also touches on the larger cultural and legal context in Kentucky. The state has maintained a near-total abortion ban since 2022, allowing exceptions only in cases where the pregnant person’s life is at substantial risk or a vital organ faces serious, permanent impairment. For some, that legal environment adds a layer of complexity to this case, though authorities have not indicated how it may have factored into Snelling’s actions.
Neighbors and friends are left grappling with a mixture of disbelief and sadness. Here was a young woman who, by all outward appearances, was thriving: a cheerleader, a student in Interdisciplinary Disability Studies, and a pageant participant with seemingly big plans for the future. Yet behind the closed doors of her Lexington home, she was hiding a secret that would ultimately cost a life.
As of Monday, Snelling is being held at the Fayette County Detention Center on charges including abuse of a corpse, tampering with physical evidence, and concealing the birth of an infant. The Lexington Police Department’s Special Victims Section continues to investigate the matter, trying to piece together exactly how this tragedy unfolded.
Laken Snelling’s Story Has Sparked Major Online Debate
For many in Kentucky, the case is a sobering reminder that appearances especially on social media or in glamorous settings like cheerleading and beauty pageants can be deceiving. “She seemed perfect on the outside, but she’ll never live this down,” one person commented. “There is very likely much more to the story,” another stated.
The story has sparked a major debate on the internet about abortion laws, birth control, baby safe havens, and more. It seems that everyone has an opinion. However, it seems that the full story has yet to be revealed.
Laken Snelling’s story, once filled with dreams of family and pageant crowns, has turned into a grim cautionary tale of secrets hidden behind closed doors. Lexington, and the broader Kentucky community, are left searching for answers while mourning a life lost too soon.
Kenna Raye 
