New and disturbing details have been released in the case of Laken Snelling, the University of Kentucky cheerleader accused after her newborn boy was found dead in her closet.
Investigators say a search of her social media revealed posts and searches about concealed pregnancies and childbirth. According to affidavits, Snelling went into labor alone around 4 a.m. on August 27 in her off-campus apartment. She told police the baby boy fell to the floor, then she fell asleep on top of him, and that he later appeared blue and unresponsive, and that she wrapped him in a towel “for comfort” before falling asleep again.
When she woke, Snelling allegedly placed the baby and placenta in a trash bag and hid them in her closet. Instead of seeking medical care, she skipped class, ordered curbside McDonald’s, and went to the student clinic without going inside.
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Lexington Police Department reports that a search warrant for Snelling’s social media accounts found searches “including different things pertaining to pregnancy, images of her during labor, photos of her doing things ordinary pregnant women should not be doing, and a concealed or hidden pregnancy.”
Her roommates, alarmed by the early-morning commotion and unusual behavior, checked her room and discovered a blood-soaked towel along with a bag containing her baby, who was “cold to the touch.” They immediately called the police. Although Snelling admitted to what happened, she has pleaded not guilty.
Background:
The nation is shaken as news breaks that college cheerleader and beauty queen, Laken Snelling, is arrested after allegedly giving birth to a baby and hiding the newborn’s body in her closet.
Police reports claim she admitted to concealing the birth and attempting to erase evidence of her child’s existence. Now, she faces trial and charges for these heartbreaking actions.
Commentators have noted an alleged maternity photo shoot shared online, where she and her boyfriend appeared happy and expectant. How could a young woman who once seemed ready to embrace motherhood end up hiding her baby’s body?
This tragedy is not only about one mother and her child—it’s a reminder for all of us.
Just miles from Laken’s campus sat a Safe Haven Baby Box, a resource designed specifically for desperate mothers in crisis. Kentucky, like many states, has safe haven laws allowing parents to safely and anonymously surrender their newborns at hospitals, fire stations, or baby boxes—no questions asked, no judgment, no legal penalties.
Beyond these protections through law, pregnancy resource centers across Kentucky stand ready to walk alongside young moms, offering diapers, counseling, medical referrals, housing assistance, and the assurance that they are not alone. These ministries exist to provide hope when a young mother feels she has none.
This case is heartbreaking; it did not have to end this way. A precious baby could have been saved, and a young mother spared a lifetime of grief and legal consequences.
That’s why it is crucial to continue promoting and expanding lifesaving options like Safe Haven Baby Boxes and pregnancy centers. Every community must ensure that women in crisis know: there is help, there is hope, and there is a safe path forward—for both mother and child.
What happened in the Laken Snelling case is tragic, and it should never happen again. Safe haven laws and baby boxes exist so no child is left to die and every Life is protected.
By raising awareness about these resources, we can ensure more babies are saved. Every child deserves Life! Are you pregnant—or do you know someone who is? Texas has countless pregnancy resource centers ready to support families every step of the way!
LifeNews Note: Ashlynn Lemos is the communications intern for Texas Right to Life.
