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

[GeorgiaRai]

The fact that remains were found the same day as the birth makes me think maybe her friends/roommates had been aware of the pregnancy and when they could see she was no longer pregnant, wondered what happened & went looking for an explanation.

 

[MrsWatson]

Paywalled article but the blurb does give this away.

Boyfriend of cheerleader charged with hiding dead newborn - revealed

The hunky boyfriend of the Kentucky cheerleader charged with dumping her dead newborn in a trash bag is a former college basketball star, the Daily Mail can exclusively reveal.

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

[Serononin]

Thanks for posting this, @abyquinn .

"Baby Boy Snelling".
Wish he could be given an honorary name, at least.
Imo.

Perhaps the baby's father will name him at some point? I agree, I do hope the poor little soul can at least have a name

 

[Inthedetails]

Paywalled article but the blurb does give this away.

Boyfriend of cheerleader charged with hiding dead newborn - revealed

The hunky boyfriend of the Kentucky cheerleader charged with dumping her dead newborn in a trash bag is a former college basketball star, the Daily Mail can exclusively reveal.

www.dailymail.co.uk

Here's similar content, but not paywalled:

Cheerleader Laken Snelling, whose baby was found dead in trash bag, was dating popular college athlete

The boyfriend of University of Kentucky cheerleader, Laken Snelling, has been identified as a former college basketballer who had previously posed lovingly with her on social media.

nypost.com

 

[LadyL]

I wonder if the baby was his ... or if they discovered he wasn't the father upon birth ...still no excuse for not getting the baby medical assistance IMO

 

[cocomod]

I am always confused by these types of incidents. Is the woman a criminal who killed a baby? Or a confused young woman, who actually needs treatment and therapy?

Was she is denial about the pregnancy? And just wanted it "gone"? Pretend it never happened?

I would be more inclined towards a confused young woman if she was in her teens, but she is 21 years old. Still young, but her mind development is much closer to complete at that age. She could have tried to be in denial, but she definitely had a bump.

 

[MrsWatson]

So in the NY Post and DM articles, this guy being a "basketball star" is greatly exaggerated. I follow NCAA sports and I've never heard of either of those colleges.

Where is he now?

 

[Inthedetails]

Laken Snelling, the University of Kentucky cheerleader accused of hiding her dead newborn inside a closet, has dropped out of school following her arrest....

The school, which began classes for the new semester on Aug. 25, didn’t reveal when Snelling unenrolled.

University of Kentucky cheerleader Laken Snelling, whose newborn was found dead in trash bag, drops out of school

Laken Snelling, the University of Kentucky cheerleader accused of hiding her dead newborn inside a closet, has dropped out of school following her arrest.

nypost.com

 

[AngTxGal]

So in the NY Post and DM articles, this guy being a "basketball star" is greatly exaggerated. I follow NCAA sports and I've never heard of either of those colleges.

Where is he now?

He could have been one of the best on his team and locally popular- my guess.
I’m sure there are a lot of basketball stars in high schools and small colleges that never make it Division 1 or the NBA. I was one of those popular high school basketball players way back in the day.

IMO

 

[AngTxGal]

I am always confused by these types of incidents. Is the woman a criminal who killed a baby? Or a confused young woman, who actually needs treatment and therapy?

Was she is denial about the pregnancy? And just wanted it "gone"? Pretend it never happened?

I have the same conflicts, but mine stem from the lack of services back when I was in high school and college and had friends that found themselves in such situations.

Today the bag is mixed again- with new laws against abortion in many states and access to the abortion pill or other methods.
Still young women can take measures to prevent pregnancy, and because they are young and not wise and engage in the risky behaviors young men and women do- and the stigma, and the culture of blaming the woman- there will always be such cases.

I don’t know how we can do better- other than educate and provide services for our young men, and be sure they know enough about their bodies to not be completely ignorant to what causes pregnancy and the signs of pregnancy. I have taught sciences at the university level- you would be shocked at the some of the misconceptions kids 18-22 have about biological processes.

IMO

 

[AngTxGal]

The fact that remains were found the same day as the birth makes me think maybe her friends/roommates had been aware of the pregnancy and when they could see she was no longer pregnant, wondered what happened & went looking for an explanation.

I’m wondering if someone else was involved.
The baby was wrapped up.
The baby was being kept in her closet. That is very strange- not rational unless this was a temporary location? Still seems very very odd to me.

I cannot recall a case where a young woman had a baby and disposed of it- and kept it in her room with her where she lived day to day.

Baby buried in yard by 20 yr old- OH
Baby buried in yard by 18 yr old- PA
Baby put in dumpster by 19 yr old- NM
Baby put in hospital bathroom trash by 19 yr old- NM
Baby put in trash by 22 yr old- TX

Was the baby first put in the trashcan by someone else and she removed it?

My opinion only- but dead bodies seem to cause two types of reactions from people
- repulsive, disgust, hiding a crime, removal, discarded
- attentive care, respect, protection to keep safe from harm

This one is perplexing, why was the baby not already removed from the room?

Did someone hear the baby cry and the it stopped? Was that the call?
Or did panic and try to quiet the baby and killed him by accident?
Was someone with her?

IMO

 

[Rosydecember]

I’m wondering if someone else was involved.
The baby was wrapped up.
The baby was being kept in her closet. That is very strange- not rational unless this was a temporary location? Still seems very very odd to me.

I cannot recall a case where a young woman had a baby and disposed of it- and kept it in her room with her where she lived day to day.

Baby buried in yard by 20 yr old- OH
Baby buried in yard by 18 yr old- PA
Baby put in dumpster by 19 yr old- NM
Baby put in hospital bathroom trash by 19 yr old- NM
Baby put in trash by 22 yr old- TX

Was the baby first put in the trashcan by someone else and she removed it?

My opinion only- but dead bodies seem to cause two types of reactions from people
- repulsive, disgust, hiding a crime, removal, discarded
- attentive care, respect, protection to keep safe from harm

This one is perplexing, why was the baby not already removed from the room?

Did someone hear the baby cry and the it stopped? Was that the call?
Or did panic and try to quiet the baby and killed him by accident?
Was someone with her?

IMO

My guess was that her roommates were home and she didn’t feel like she could safely hide/remove him with everyone around MOO and just a thought

 

[cattlekate]

It is bizarre the LE arrest citation does not mention approximate gestational age. The LE release states birth was Aug 27, LE called around 10 am (by who?), mother taken to the hospital, and arrest later that day.

 

[cattlekate]

She posted the white dress photos on June 18. She looks a bit pregnant when she lifts her white loose dress. She also looks a bit pregnant as her boyfriend cups his arms around her small belly while they sit. IMHO, she doesn’t look more than 12 weeks.

Fast forward to Aug 27, maybe 12 weeks later if the professional photos were taken around June 10 and published by her on June 18?

So the gestational age could be maybe 24 weeks? Was this a stillborn?

 

[Rosydecember]

I didn’t start showing until I was 6,7 months.
I believe that this was a full term pregnancy MOO

 

[cattlekate]

The cryptic LE “inconclusive” autopsy report is so bizarre. Any medical examiner can clearly make an opinion on gestational age, especially if she had OBGYN care which the ME had access to after the Aug 27 arrest.

I do not think this was full term.

 

[Chimera]

I’m wondering if someone else was involved.
The baby was wrapped up.
The baby was being kept in her closet. That is very strange- not rational unless this was a temporary location? Still seems very very odd to me.

I cannot recall a case where a young woman had a baby and disposed of it- and kept it in her room with her where she lived day to day.

Baby buried in yard by 20 yr old- OH
Baby buried in yard by 18 yr old- PA
Baby put in dumpster by 19 yr old- NM
Baby put in hospital bathroom trash by 19 yr old- NM
Baby put in trash by 22 yr old- TX

Was the baby first put in the trashcan by someone else and she removed it?

My opinion only- but dead bodies seem to cause two types of reactions from people
- repulsive, disgust, hiding a crime, removal, discarded
- attentive care, respect, protection to keep safe from harm

This one is perplexing, why was the baby not already removed from the room?

Did someone hear the baby cry and the it stopped? Was that the call?
Or did panic and try to quiet the baby and killed him by accident?
Was someone with her?

IMO

Pbm.
Eeek (& sad !) if so.
And also if that was the scenario she is probably in a lot of trouble now.
Imo.

 

[AngTxGal]

She posted the white dress photos on June 18. She looks a bit pregnant when she lifts her white loose dress. She also looks a bit pregnant as her boyfriend cups his arms around her small belly while they sit. IMHO, she doesn’t look more than 12 weeks.

Fast forward to Aug 27, maybe 12 weeks later if the professional photos were taken around June 10 and published by her on June 18?

So the gestational age could be maybe 24 weeks? Was this a stillborn?

I cannot see how… there would be no reason for a case if the baby appeared premature and stillborn.
That would be a spontaneous abortion- a miscarriage.
A 12 week old fetus is about the size of a grape or plum.
A 24 week old fetus is about 10-12 inches long, about 1.5 pounds. About 50/50 chance of survival even with intensive medical intervention.

All of us know women who have had a miscarriage- often happens without being certain you are pregnant. Much less often later in term. It isn’t a crime- it is how human bodies prevent some kinds of hugely malformed fetuses. Heaven forbid LE ever begins to investigate and prosecute miscarriages!!

This situation must be a baby that appears near full-term, and with timing of death questionable.

IMO

 

[Chimera]

I cannot see how… there would be no reason for a case if the baby appeared premature and stillborn.
That would be a spontaneous abortion- a miscarriage.
A 12 week old fetus is about the size of a grape or plum.
A 24 week old fetus is about 10-12 inches long, about 1.5 pounds. About 50/50 chance of survival even with intensive medical intervention.

All of us know women who have had a miscarriage- often happens without being certain you are pregnant. Much less often later in term. It isn’t a crime- it is how human bodies prevent some kinds of hugely malformed fetuses. Heaven forbid LE ever begins to investigate and prosecute miscarriages!!

This situation must be a baby that appears near full-term, and with timing of death questionable.

IMO

Bbm.
Agreed. ^^^

Also, there's no definite cause of death yet ?
Was baby boy Snelling alive when born ?
So many questions.
Imo.

 

[Carovb5]

There’s also the possibility that the baby wasn’t as expected… other skin color as the boyfriend, a birth defect, or she did smth wrong during the birth and was afraid to own up to it?