Laken Snelling, a former competitive cheerleader for the University of Kentucky, recently made a quiet but significant move in her legal case. Snelling, 21, appeared in court and waived her right to a preliminary hearing. This means the case against her will now go directly to a grand jury. She faces accusations of concealing her deceased newborn baby in a closet.
Her short time in a Lexington, Kentucky courtroom on Friday, September 26, was notably subdued. Dressed in a black dress with her blonde hair loose, Snelling calmly confirmed her decision. The judge asked her if she truly wished to give up her rights to a preliminary hearing. She softly responded, “Yes.” A small group quickly escorted her out once the brief proceeding concluded.
A prominent news channel, Us Weekly, contacted Snelling’s lawyer to ask for comments. This marked Snelling’s first public appearance since September 2. On that date, she pleaded not guilty to severe charges, including abuse of a corpse, tampering with physical evidence, and concealing the birth of a baby. She was released after paying a $100,000 bond. She has been living with her parents in Tennessee under “house arrest without an electronic ankle monitor.”
Authorities arrested Snelling at her Lexington home on August 30. This followed a distressing call to police on August 27. A third party reported an unresponsive baby at Snelling’s home, described as “cold to the touch.” Officers quickly found the infant in a closet.
Laken Snelling Courtesy of Laken Snelling/Facebook
An arrest citation states the “baby was located wrapped in a towel inside a black trash bag.” During an interview with authorities, Snelling reportedly admitted she “gave birth.” She also confessed to “concealing the birth by cleaning up any evidence.” She placed “all cleaning items used inside a black trash bag, including the baby, who was wrapped in a towel.”
The baby’s cause of death remains inconclusive for now. A Fayette County Coroner’s Office report stated that “thorough microscopic analyses are essential to determine the cause and manner of death.” Us Weekly obtained this report on September 4. Fayette County Coroner Gary Ginn addressed community concerns in the report. He stressed his office is conducting “a thorough and meticulous investigation.” Its goal is to “ensure all facts are carefully considered.” A spokesperson for the Lexington Police Department further confirmed to Us Weekly on September 8 that their investigation is still “ongoing.”
Meanwhile, Snelling’s academic and athletic life at the University of Kentucky has changed. A school spokesperson confirmed to Us Weekly on September 6 that Snelling is no longer enrolled at the university. She is also no longer part of the school’s STUNT team. The University of Kentucky itself issued a statement. They said, “We can confirm that she has been a member of the STUNT team for the past three seasons.” They then directed all other inquiries to the Lexington Police.
Snelling hails from White Pine, Tennessee. She was a prominent member of Kentucky’s STUNT team. For those unfamiliar, USA Cheer describes the team’s specialty as “the technical and athletic components of cheerleading.” This includes specific skills like “partner stunts, pyramids, basket tosses, group jumps, and tumbling.” Now, with her preliminary hearing waived, the legal process moves to a grand jury, marking the next step in this somber case.