University of Kentucky Student Arrested After Dead Baby Found in Closet

A tragic case out of Kentucky has drawn national attention after police discovered the body of a newborn hidden inside a college student’s residence.

On August 27, Lexington police responded to a home on Park Avenue where they found an baby wrapped in a towel, placed in a black trash bag, and concealed inside a closet. The baby was pronounced dead at the scene.

Authorities arrested 21-year-old Laken Snelling, a senior at the University of Kentucky and a member of the school’s STUNT cheerleading team. Snelling faces multiple felony charges, including abuse of a corpse, tampering with physical evidence, and concealing the birth of an infant.

Snelling was booked into the Fayette County Detention Center and later released on a $100,000 bond. A judge has ordered her to live with her parents under home incarceration while awaiting trial. Her next court date is scheduled for September 26.

This case is deeply disturbing and raises questions into the value placed on human life in today’s society. If the child was born alive, there is a valid basis for a murder charge. But even if the child had not taken a breath outside the womb, the moral reality remains unchanged: abortion is the deliberate ending of a human life. Any and all forms of abortion, whether surgical or chemical, should be recognized as murder. The fact that our legal system often differentiates between these actions only underscores the inconsistency and moral confusion surrounding the issue.

This heartbreaking story serves as a reminder of the vital importance of defending life and ensuring that young mothers in crisis know where to turn. Every child’s life has inherent value, and when society fails to provide clear moral guidance and support systems, tragedies like this occur.

This particular case, however, offers a clear opportunity for the justice system to act decisively. Laken Snelling should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Human life, regardless of age, stage, or location, deserves unwavering protection.

Faith communities, families, and schools must play a stronger role in offering help and hope to young women facing unexpected pregnancies. With proper support and intervention, lives can be saved, and mothers can be spared from the despair that leads to such devastating decisions. While the adoption process is long and difficult, offering better options with more support can lead to better outcomes.

While Snelling will face her day in court and the justice system will determine accountability, this case should challenge all of us to do more. We must educate the public on alternatives, strengthen pro-life outreach, and recommit to a culture that values both mothers and their children.