A new development in the ongoing case involving a former Kentucky cheerleader, Laken Snelling, has once again brought the story back into focus, as fresh courtroom proceedings added another layer to the legal battle.
On March 10, the 22-year-old was indicted by a grand jury on first-degree manslaughter along with charges of ab*use of a c*rpse, tampering with physical evidence, and concealing the birth of an infant.
Highlights
- Former cheerleader Laken Snelling pleaded not guilty to first-degree manslaughter during an April 10 court hearing, following allegations that she suffocated her newborn in August 2025.
- While the 22-year-old initially claimed the infant was not breathing at birth, a medical examiner determined the baby was born alive.
- A pretrial hearing was scheduled for May 14, with Snelling currently remaining under house arrest after posting a $10,000 bond following her second indictment.
Her latest court appearance has reignited furious reactions from netizens, with one writing, “What type of sick people do we share this earth with?” and calling for her to receive capital punishment.
Laken Snelling’s latest court appearance brought a key update in her ongoing manslaughter case
Image credits: laken_snelling/TikTok
During an April 10 court hearing, Snelling entered a not guilty plea to the first-degree manslaughter charge filed against her.
Prosecutors allege that she suffocated her newborn after secretly giving birth in her apartment in August 2025. The charge was added in March 2026 following findings that the baby had been born alive.
Image credits: laken_snelling/TikTok
Her pretrial hearing has now been scheduled for May 14, with a status hearing set for June 12.
She was first arrested on August 30, 2025, three days after giving birth, and was later released on bond. Since then, she has remained under house arrest. In March 2026, Snelling posted a $10,000 bond following the second indictment.
If convicted, she faces up to 20 years in prison for manslaughter, along with an additional 11 years for the earlier charges.
Following news of Snelling pleading not guilty, online viewers questioned her defense aggressively
Image credits: laken_snelling/TikTok
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“I don’t know how you can plead not guilty when your baby is in a trash bag,” one person wrote.
“All she had to do was take it to a hospital or fire station and give it up for adoption. She chose evil,” another added.
Some called for strict punishment, with one user writing, “She should go to prison. That was a human life!” while another said, “A vile and evil act. She should be tried for m*rder.”
Image credits: Law&Crime Trials
Others questioned the father's absence. “So, where was the dad during all this? Hold him accountable also; she didn’t impregnate herself,” one comment read.
Amid the outrage, some focused on the tragedy. “Horrifically tragic. There were so many ways for this child to be protected,” another user wrote.
During questioning by authorities, Snelling admitted she delivered the baby herself
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As reported by Bored Panda, the case dates back to August 27, 2025, when Snelling gave birth alone in her off-campus apartment near the University of Kentucky.
Her roommates later told police they heard unusual noises coming from her room during the early hours.
After she left the apartment, they entered her room and found a newborn baby boy wrapped in a blood-soaked towel inside a plastic bag in her closet. One roommate alleged the infant was “cold to the touch.”
Image credits: toeteetoe5
Investigators further shared that Snelling cleaned the scene after giving birth and then left the apartment, later visiting McDonald’s.
During questioning, she gave multiple accounts. First, she claimed that the baby fell on the floor after she gave birth and that she didn’t think he was “breathing or alive.”
Then, she alleged she passed out on top of him and woke up to find him “turning blue and purple.”
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However, authorities clarified she also told a medical worker that the baby had shown “a little bit of fetal movement” and had made a “whimper.”
A medical examiner later determined the infant was born alive and passed away from asphyxia, which led to the manslaughter charge.
Investigators searched Snelling’s phone and social media accounts as part of the investigation
Image credits: laken_snelling/TikTok
Investigators found searches related to pregnancy, along with images taken during labor that were allegedly deleted from her phone.
Photos from earlier in 2025 appeared to show her concealing a pregnancy, while roommates told police they suspected it but were never told directly.
According to court documents, one of Snelling’s roommates sent her a text, asking about a noise she heard, to which the defendant responded that it was a result of her passing out in her bedroom.
While questions about the child’s father also linger, Snelling has not publicly identified him. A DNA test was also conducted, but the results have not yet been disclosed.
"Why was she hiding this pregnancy?" questioned one user
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