FRIDAY NIGHT SPECIAL: BEAUTY-QUEEN-CHEERLEADER'S BABY DEAD IN CLOSET, CASE HEADS TO GRAND JURY
Crime Stories with Nancy Grace
iHeartPodcasts and CrimeOnline
3.9 • 7.6K Ratings
🗓️ 3 January 2026
⏱️ 51 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
New details are emerging in the case of a 21-year-old college student and cheerleader from the University of Kentucky accused of hiding her newborn inside her college apartment closet.
Laken Snelling's case is on its way to a grand jury. The panel is expected to hear evidence in late January. The grand jury will likely be asked to indict Snelling on the three charges she initially pleaded not guilty to, and there’s possibly a count of murder or manslaughter depending on the newborn's autopsy results.
Laken Snelling is arrested after her infant is found dead in a trash bag inside the closet. An autopsy report only deepens the mystery surrounding the infant's death because the results are found to be inconclusive. Snelling posted baby bump pics before her infant was found dead.
Authorities allege Snelling gave birth in secret, wrapped her baby in a towel, placed him in a trash bag, and left him in her closet.
According to an arrest report, Lexington police were called to a home on Park Avenue for an unresponsive infant on Wednesday. Police said they found a baby's body in a closet, wrapped in a towel inside a black trash bag.
The UK cheerleader is now charged with abuse of a corpse, tampering with evidence, and concealing the birth of an infant.
Court records show Snelling took selfies during the birth.
Joining Nancy Grace today:
- Josh Kolsrud - Criminal Defense Attorney and Former Assistant U.S. Attorney, Founder of Kolsrud Law Offices; Facebook and YouTube @KohlsrudLawOffices
- Dr. Bethany Marshall - Psychoanalyst, Author: "Deal Breaker,” featured in hit show: "Paris in Love" on Peacock; Instagram & TikTok: drbethanymarshall, Twitter: @DrBethanyLive
- Dr. Kendall Crowns - Chief Medical Examiner Tarrant County (Ft Worth), Host of Podcast, "Mayhem in the Morgue," and Lecturer: Burnett School of Medicine at TCU (Texas Christian University)
- Chris Byers - Private Investigator and Owner of Byers Investigative Services, Former Police Chief in Johns Creek, Georgia (25 years as police officer)
- Germania Rodriguez - Chief US Reporter, DailyMail.com
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | This is an I-Heart podcast. |
| 0:02.3 | Guaranteed Human. |
| 0:04.8 | Crime Stories with Nancy Grace. |
| 0:11.0 | It's Friday night, and it's time for a Friday night special. |
| 0:16.2 | And boy, is this special. |
| 0:19.1 | Did Kentucky cheerleader |
| 0:20.8 | Lakin Snelling |
| 0:23.3 | actually take |
| 0:24.9 | selfies while |
| 0:27.3 | she is in labor |
| 0:28.7 | while giving birth? |
| 0:31.9 | Leave the baby to die, who by the way, |
| 0:34.5 | we now learn was whimpering, translation |
| 0:36.4 | was alive. Leave the baby wrapped up in a |
| 0:40.9 | blanket in a trash bag in her closet, either dead or dying. And then pop out for McDonald's. |
| 0:50.2 | Rutt Row. I'm Nancy Grace. This is Crime Stories. I'm going to thank you for being with us. |
| 0:57.0 | We are learning from court documents that the Kentucky Stunt Girl cheerleader, |
| 1:03.0 | Beauty Queen, Lake and Snelling, took selfies while she's giving birth? just before she secretly delivers her baby, then allegedly |
| 1:17.8 | leaving it wrapped up in blankets, towels, in a trash bag in her closet, and then dashes out |
| 1:25.0 | to get McDonald's? |
| 1:29.6 | Take a listen to this. |
| 1:37.0 | According to an affidavit, Snelling reportedly gave birth to a baby boy around 4 a.m. on August 27, |
... |
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