Former University of Kentucky competitive cheerleader Laken Snelling was bolstered by the support of her classmates during her most recent court appearance.
Snelling, 21, was backed by “approximately 10” fellow students during her appearance inside a Lexington courtroom on Friday, September 26, according to WLWT-5.
The group declined to speak to members of the media.
Snelling waived her right to a preliminary trial during the Friday appearance. Her case will now proceed to a grand jury.
Kentucky Cheerleader Laken Snelling Performed Months Before Giving Birth
The former University of Kentucky student was arrested on August 30 and charged with abuse of a corpse, tampering with physical evidence and concealing the birth of an infant.
Snelling pleaded not guilty to all charges during a September 2 court appearance. She was released on $100,000 bond and has been living on house arrest with her parents in Tennessee.
At the time of her arrest, Snelling was still enrolled at the University of Kentucky and was a member of the school’s STUNT cheerleading team.
A spokesperson for the school told Us Weekly on September 6 that Snelling is no longer enrolled at the university or on the STUNT team.
The Lexington Police Department received a call from a third party on August 27, reporting a baby was found “cold to the touch” in a closet near the University of Kentucky’s campus.
When she was questioned by police, Snelling “admitted to giving birth” and 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.”
The baby’s cause of death was ruled inconclusive and “extensive microscopic analyses are essential to determine the cause and manner of death,” according to a report from the Fayette County Coroner’s Office obtained by Us on September 4.
“I understand the community’s concern and sensitivity surrounding the death of a child,” Fayette County Coroner Gary Ginn said in the report. “We are conducting a thorough and methodical death investigation to ensure all facts are carefully considered.”
In a statement to Us on September 8, the Lexington Police Department said the investigation into the infant’s death remains “ongoing.”
According to court records obtained by WKYT-TV on Friday, Snelling told medical staff she guessed her baby was still alive when she gave birth.
The records state Snelling passed out after giving birth and fell on top of the baby, waking up to find it “blue and purple.”
Believing the baby was dead, Snelling wrapped up the infant and laid next to the body on the floor, per the records.
Cheerleader Laken Snelling Dressed Up as Pregnant Woman for Halloween 2024
Snelling was eventually taken to a local hospital for medical evaluation, where she told hospital staff she heard the baby “whimper” after it was born.
The court records also revealed that Snelling had searched “concealed or hidden pregnancy” in the time leading up to her arrest.
Snelling’s phone showed other searches pertaining to pregnancy and included pictures of her during labor.
Some of the pictures of Snelling giving birth were deleted which led Lexington Police to theorize “other items could have also been deleted in an attempt to hide any evidence of the pregnancy, birth and newborn baby.”
