‘Very interesting’: Cheerleader from University of Kentucky arrested after newborn found dead in closet

Police arrested a University of Kentucky competitive stunt team member on Saturday, August 31, after finding a newborn baby dead in a closet at her home.

According to reports, Kentucky senior Laken Snelling, 21, admitted she gave birth to the child, cleaned up the scene, and then concealed the newborn’s body and the cleaning supplies wrapped in a towel inside a trash bag in her closet.

Authorities charged Snelling with concealing the birth of an infant, tampering with physical evidence, and abuse of a corpse. On September 2, Snelling posted $100,000. Reports say she is currently in home custody at her parents’ house with an ankle monitor.

If convicted, Snelling could face up to 5 years in prison and pay a $10,000 fine. The Fayette County Coroner’s Office is still determining the official cause of death.

The 911 call and alleged maternity photos

Lexington, Kentucky, police, where the University of Kentucky (UK) is located, say a 911 call on Wednesday, August 25, from Snelling’s home reported an unresponsive infant. It’s unclear who made that call.

UK confirmed Snelling is a senior majoring in Interdisciplinary Disability Studies at the school. She’s been a member of the university’s STUNT team for three seasons and is originally from White Pine, Tennessee.

After Snelling’s arrest, what appear to be maternity pictures for Snelling’s now-deleted Instagram went viral online. The photos have not yet been confirmed, but they seem to show an apparently pregnant Snelling in a white dress in a grassy field, along with a man who unconfirmed reports say might be her partner.