A University of Kentucky Cheerleader Was Arrested Following a Disturbing Discovery in Her Closet
Laken Snelling faces serious charges.
Updated Sept. 2 2025, 11:34 a.m. ET
The Instagram account of a University of Kentucky cheerleader has already been disabled following the 21-year-old's arrest. Laken Snelling's Facebook profile remains active and shows the life of a typical college student who is ready to join the so-called real world. The pretty, blond girl is tan with the kind of teeth one would see in a toothpaste ad. This makes sense as Snelling is a former beauty queen.
What doesn't make sense is the deeply disturbing reason why Snelling was taken into custody on Aug. 27, 2025. If you scroll through Snelling's Facebook profile, you would never know that she was allegedly hiding something that would land her in jail. What happened to the 21-year-old cheerleader? Here's what we know.
Why was University of Kentucky cheerleader Laken Snelling arrested?
Authorities were called to Snelling's home following reports of a "deceased infant being located inside of a closet," per LEX 18. When police According to the arrest citation, police found an infant "located wrapped in a towel inside of a black trash bag." The infant was pronounced dead at the scene.
After Snelling was read her Miranda rights, she admitted giving birth and then hiding the infant in a trash bag. She cleaned up all evidence of the birth and put the cleaning items used inside the trash bag along with the infant." A cause of death for the infant has yet to be released. Snelling has been charged with abuse of a corpse, tampering with physical evidence, and concealing the birth of an infant. This is an ongoing investigation.
Laken Snelling was studying interdisciplinary disability studies.
On her Facebook profile, Snelling wrote that she is studying interdisciplinary disability studies at the University of Kentucky. The "Interdisciplinary Disability Studies program prepares you for a rewarding career in community and social services, empowering individuals with disabilities to live independent, fulfilling lives," per the University of Kentucky. People with this degree go on to have careers in advocacy, education, healthcare, social work, or public policy.
Snelling, who is a senior at the University of Kentucky, is also a member of the school's STUNT team. University spokesperson Whitney Siddiqi confirmed this to the Louisville Courier-Journal. The university issued a statement but did not address why Snelling was arrested, reports The Independent. "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," said a representative.
On Sept. 1, Snelling's bond was set at $100,000. A court date for her arraignment was scheduled for the following day. People on social media shared posts from Snelling's since-deleted Instagram that show her visibly pregnant. In one post, Snelling reshared an Instagram post from a user who was discussing their fear of giving birth to a boy instead of a girl.