KY - Laken Snelling, 21, arrested after giving birth and infant was found in closet - Sept 2025

[cattlekate]

So did Connor dump her over the summer? He clearly was cupping her belly during the photo shoot.

 

[Serononin]

I see some criticism of the roommates, which might be fair if they were close with her and the noises sounded concerning. I wonder, though (as a former college student myself!), if it's possible they thought it was Laken having sex or being drunk and knocking things around. On top of that, if she wasn't pleasant to deal with, they might not want to interrupt a roommate they believe to be having sex or knocking things around.

I think roommates will usually check on each other if they hear something worrisome unless one of the following is true:
1. They are frightened for their own lives and can't move (Idaho case)
2. Their roommate has characteristics that make it difficult to approach them on anything (i.e. they are afraid to confront the person due to the person getting angry/mean)
3. Their mind believes there is a safe explanation ("my roommate is having loud sex", "my roommate is being drunk and annoying").

I believe this is especially true for young people who are still in their adolescent brain.

Yeah, even if they suspected she was pregnant, I don't think most people would hear their roommate making noise in her room and think she was giving birth. Especially since (AFAIK) they didn't hear a baby crying

 

[Gae]

Any updates on this? I sure keep thinking about it.

 

[arielilane]

Legal Proceedings​

Snelling’s case has been waived to a grand jury, which will determine the next steps in the legal process. The Fayette County Coroner’s Office is conducting an autopsy to determine the cause of death, but results have yet to be released.

University of Kentucky Cheerleader Withdraws Amid Investigation

Former University of Kentucky cheerleader withdraws amid investigation into her newborn son's death and faces serious charges.

www.herelexingtonky.com

12/12/2025

 

[Gae]

Yeah, even if they suspected she was pregnant, I don't think most people would hear their roommate making noise in her room and think she was giving birth. Especially since (AFAIK) they didn't hear a baby crying

She said "it" made "fetal noises" after being born. I assume that means crying, whimpering, something. By referring to her baby's crying/whimpering as "fetal noises" it sounds like she didn't even think of him as a baby, just a fetus - which is still a baby. I've never heard a woman who delivered a full term, crying/whimpering baby, refer to that baby as an "it" making "fetal noises." IDK if she is trying to play dumb to cover her behavior, or what.

 

[Sjöberg]

she didn't even think of him as a baby, just a fetus

Frankly, this is not uncommon and also varies in different cultures. Historically, babies used to not get names before they were several months old, as 1) in the olden days, they were unlikely to survive and you don't waste a good name and 2) they don't really have a personality yet so the parent cannot get a grasp if the name fits.

In her case, she is not feeling a connection to the baby as a "human child" at that moment and this might be because of trauma, beacuse of being young and lacking experience with babies, because of lack of maternal hormones, because of a lack of narrative and supportive enviroment for the baby, because of not wanting the baby, because of "being evil" or because of who the f knows.

This is not the surprising part here to me. How the maternity photoshoot guy claims to not know she was pregnant is way more surprising to me.