Former UK student indicted in infant son’s death
LEXINGTON, Ky. – A Fayette County Grand Jury has indicted a former University of Kentucky student on charges in her infant son’s death.
According to a release by the Lexington Police Department on Tuesday, Laken Snelling is formally charged with first-degree manslaughter, abuse of a corpse, tampering with physical evidence and concealing the birth of an infant.
Police say the convening grand jury added the manslaughter charge.
On Wednesday, August 27, 2025 around 10:30 a.m., officers say they were dispatched for an unresponsive infant at a residence in the 400 block of Park Avenue.
Police say Snelling was arrested and initially charged with abuse of a corpse, tampering with physical evidence and concealing the birth of an infant.
Authorities confirm Snelling is the infant’s mother.
The Kentucky Examiner’s Office later determined the infant was born alive, with his cause of death being asphyxia by undetermined means, police say.
According to a previous report by WNKY News 40, the infant was found inside of a closet, and Snelling reportedly admitted to giving birth, concealing that birth by cleaning up any evidence and putting all of the cleaning items in the trash bag with the infant.
The investigation was conducted by the Lexington Police Department, Fayette Commonwealth’s Attorney Office, Kentucky Medical Examiner’s Office, Fayette County Coroner’s Office, and Kentucky State Police Forensic Laboratory.
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