A University of Kentucky cheerleader and beauty queen has been arrested after police discovered the body of her newborn concealed in a closet at a Lexington home.
Authorities identified the woman as 21-year-old Laken Snelling.
She was charged with abuse of a corpse, tampering with physical evidence and concealing the birth of an infant.
Police say she admitted to giving birth and hiding the child after being read her rights.
The University of Kentucky confirmed her connection to the school’s athletics program.
“We can confirm that she has been a member of the STUNT team for the last three seasons,” the university said in a statement.
“All other questions should be directed to the Lexington Police.”
The STUNT team is part of the university’s competitive cheer program.
It focuses on technical routines and competitions and has gained recognition as an emerging college sport.
Snelling had participated with the squad for multiple years while also pursuing her academic degree.
Snelling was from White Pine, Tennessee, and studied Interdisciplinary Disability Studies at the university, according to a social media account under her name.
Posts from her account showcased beauty pageant involvement, with her most recent caption in June reading, “There is a pageant for EVERYONE!”
Also in June, Snelling posted a video expressing her hopes for the future.
In it, she said her life goals included becoming a mother and raising a family.
Police records show that Lexington officers responded to a home on the 400 block of Park Avenue last Wednesday morning.
They were called to the residence after receiving a report of an unresponsive infant, according to local news outlet LEX 18.
The infant was pronounced dead at approximately 10:30 a.m. when authorities arrived.
An arrest citation detailed how the baby “was located wrapped in a towel inside of a black trash bag.”
Investigators said Snelling admitted that she had concealed the birth.
She “admitted to concealing the birth by cleaning any evidence, placing all cleaning items used inside of a black trash bag, including the infant, who was wrapped in a towel,” according to the citation.
The Fayette County Coroner’s Office has not yet released a cause of death.
The Independent reported that the case remains under review as officials continue to gather evidence.
Snelling is being held at the Fayette County Detention Center as of this week.
The Lexington Police Department’s Special Victims Section is leading the investigation into the incident.
The abuse of a corpse charge in Kentucky generally applies to cases involving the improper handling, moving, or concealment of a body.
The case has drawn attention not only because of Snelling’s university involvement but also because of state laws concerning pregnancy.
Since 2022, Kentucky has had a near-total abortion ban in effect.
The legislation does not allow exceptions for cases of rape or incest.
The law permits abortion only when a doctor determines that the procedure is necessary to prevent the “substantial risk of death” or to prevent the “serious, permanent impairment of a life-sustaining organ” of the pregnant woman.
Violations can carry felony-level penalties for medical providers, per the Daily Mail.
Kentucky is among several states that implemented restrictive abortion measures following the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which overturned Roe v. Wade.
The law has remained in place despite legal challenges.
The post Beauty Queen Arrested After Dead Newborn Found Hidden in Closet appeared first on Resist the Mainstream.
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Author: Jordyn M.
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