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

[Rosydecember]

I know people are sharing personal stories about how quick birth is, but usually your first child is not a quick birth…. It’s the kiddos that come afterwards. I genuinely don’t believe she was went “oh my gosh, I’m in labor” and then 5 minutes later had a baby. That baby did not come out quickly. She had time. MOO

 

[doublestop]

I know people are sharing personal stories about how quick birth is, but usually your first child is not a quick birth…. It’s the kiddos that come afterwards. I genuinely don’t believe she was went “oh my gosh, I’m in labor” and then 5 minutes later had a baby. That baby did not come out quickly. She had time. MOO

Actually, it can be your first child. My friend planned for a hospital birth but had her first in the living room because by the time she knew she was in labor, the baby was coming out. Her husband delivered it while waiting for an ambulance. If she was alone...who knows what would have happened.

 

[LooksSusToMe]

I know people are sharing personal stories about how quick birth is, but usually your first child is not a quick birth…. It’s the kiddos that come afterwards. I genuinely don’t believe she was went “oh my gosh, I’m in labor” and then 5 minutes later had a baby. That baby did not come out quickly. She had time. MOO

Well, that's completely false. My first labor was hasty as well. Not quite precipitous, but not long. Every pregnancy & labor is different.

 

[killarney rose]

Well, that's completely false. My first labor was hasty as well. Not quite precipitous, but not long. Every pregnancy & labor is different.

Yep, my first was my shortest at 3 hours.

 

[Inthedetails]

I know people are sharing personal stories about how quick birth is, but usually your first child is not a quick birth…. It’s the kiddos that come afterwards. I genuinely don’t believe she was went “oh my gosh, I’m in labor” and then 5 minutes later had a baby. That baby did not come out quickly. She had time. MOO

I did not have fast labors or early labors AND WE DO NOT KNOW IF LS DID (but if she did, she would've been at home and not under medical care). I thought I'd look up complications of a precipitous labor for mom and baby, bbm:

Rapid labor is unplanned and not how most mothers expect their birthing experience to happen. This loss of control can be hard to handle, both physically and emotionally. Because it all happens so fast, you may have trouble getting to the hospital and be too late for pain medication or an epidural. This can make for a scary and chaotic delivery.

Other complications for the birth mother include:

• Heavy bleeding or postpartum hemorrhage.
• Shock (not enough blood and oxygen get to your organs and tissue).
• Higher risk of perineal tears and vaginal lacerations.
• Retained placenta or placenta getting stuck in the uterus.
• Delivery in an unsterilized area, like a car.
• Emotional distress.
• Not receiving necessary antibiotics for certain infections (Group B strep) before delivery, which puts your baby at risk for infection.

Difficulties for the baby include breathing in meconium, infection due to delivery in an unsterile area or injury.

Precipitous Labor: Causes, Symptoms, Treatment & Risks

Precipitous labor is when a baby is born within three hours of regular contractions starting. It can cause complications for the baby and the birth mother.

my.clevelandclinic.org

_____________________________


Anyway, we don't know if the baby came early or if the baby came fast or if both happened. If she is charged with murder, I think we will learn the details.

It's possible that we may never know, if she isn't charged with murder. She might plea guilty to her current charges.

jmopinion

 

[Inthedetails]

It was just after 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 27, when the initial 911 call was placed....

“Complainant just found a dead baby in a closet; it is cold to the touch,” the dispatcher noted.....

It doesn’t appear that Snelling was home when police arrived. Evans said, based on the report, she was located after 11 a.m. on Euclid Avenue..... "they located her at another location other than her home.”...

Around noon, a dispatcher noted that Snelling was at Lexington police headquarters and had asked to be “checked out.” An emergency care unit was dispatched to the police station shortly after.

“Before you book somebody in, before you interview them, obviously, you’re going to give them what medical attention they need immediately,” Evans emphasized.

https://fox56news.com/news/local/lexington/police-records-reveal-what-happened-after-finding-baby-in-ex-uk-students-closet-cold-to-the-touch/

 

[Izzylizzy]

 

[abyquinn]

We know from LE that her son was already in a black plastic garbage bag with whatever she cleaned up from giving birth when the roommate discovered him dead.
LS had plenty of time after giving birth to call 911.

The premie who "couldn't survive" would then leave the mother with a newborn making the decision the baby wouldn't survive so she doesn't;t call for help.

LS as the mother had a " duty of care" towards her son to call 911 after he was born.
imo

If this baby was stillborn, LS may have been beyond any rational thoughts, having (apparently) just gone through labor & delivery alone.

With the current climate as it is, with women who knew they were pregnant and getting prenatal care fearing criminal charges for murder after having a miscarriage - I can see why a young woman who may not have known she was pregnant therefore had no prenatal care, feared she would be charged after giving birth alone to a baby who was stillborn. Cleaning up after herself, putting everything in the bag & stashing it in her closet while she tried to decide what to do next made sense to her at the time.

We still don’t know if she was aware she was pregnant or not. If she knew & hadn’t told anyone, maybe she thought her family would be more accepting of the situation if she turned up with a baby, rather than telling them she was pregnant & having to deal with the fallout. Or maybe she planned on giving the baby up & never telling anyone. I can completely understand how this may have played out & why she did what she did under these circumstances.

I’m guessing Baby was near or at term because the ME called him a baby and not a fetus. Had he been born very early he could’ve been considered non viable (due to no medical assistance at birth) & that should’ve been mentioned, nothing about prematurity was mentioned in the preliminary autopsy. IMO

 

[Inthedetails]

I’m guessing Baby was near or at term because the ME called him a baby and not a fetus. Had he been born very early he could’ve been considered non viable (due to no medical assistance at birth) & that should’ve been mentioned, nothing about prematurity was mentioned in the preliminary autopsy. IMO

snipped

I'm not sure that is a safe assumption in Kentucky, fwiw. My opinion.

It's seems that the pregnancy was full term, but we don't know for sure yet.

jmopinion

 

[Izzylizzy]

The doctor/detective said that LE can better determine approx when the cold baby was born by the clean-up evidence that LS had in the trash bag along with her dead baby.
I was thinking about the baby's cut umbilical cord and placenta along with dried blood on towel/cloth and/or paper towels if they were used.
imo

 

[louvillian08]

I’m guessing Baby was near or at term because the ME called him a baby and not a fetus. Had he been born very early he could’ve been considered non viable (due to no medical assistance at birth) & that should’ve been mentioned, nothing about prematurity was mentioned in the preliminary autopsy. IMO

Link to earlier post clarifying

"The Kentucky medical examiner clarified that their office uses the term “infant” even if it is an embryo or fetus."

 

[aurycore]

We don’t know for certain that she was aware that she was pregnant, I don’t think.
Or if it was full term-
Or if she was alone- and did the cleanup and disposal herself- or someone helped.
So I think we are speculating on all the possibilities until more info is revealed.

IMO

cryptic pregnancy?

 

[abyquinn]

cryptic pregnancy?

It happens but she sure looked pregnant to me! Prior to April she had a very trim, athletic build. Since then she had developed a belly & weight gain all over. Based on pictures she posted, she had knee surgery in December or early January, I suppose she could’ve attributed the weight from being less active as she healed.

I’ve seen plenty of stories of women who didn’t know they were pregnant. Some gained no weight, no belly, etc etc. some I think, try to convince themselves there’s no baby, wishful thinking maybe? That only works for as long as it works bc eventually that baby makes their little self known. Does a cryptic pregnancy count if other people can tell you are pregnant?

 

[arielilane]

On Friday morning, LEX 18 in court reported that Laken Snelling, the former UK student connected to her infant's death, waived her right to a preliminary hearing and the case is now headed to a grand jury.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1971564163961930234

WARNING: The following story contains disturbing details. Viewer discretion is advised.

Case against former UK student connected to infant's death heads to grand jury

New details have been released in the infant's death and the arrest of 21-year-old Laken Snelling, who is charged with several crimes in connection, according to Lexington police.

www.lex18.com

 

[justtrish]

She knew she was pregnant and said the baby was alive. Also took photos and deleted them.

Court records reveal new details in Laken Snelling case

Court records are revealing new details in the Laken Snelling case.

www.wkyt.com

The records revealed that Snelling told medical staff she guessed the baby was still alive.

She was taken to police headquarters, then later to UK hospital, where she told staff the baby displayed some fetal movement, including a “whimper.”

A search warrant of Snelling’s phone showed searches pertaining to pregnancy, including photos of her during labor, and “concealed or hidden pregnancy.”

The affidavit says some of the photos of labor were deleted

 

[angelainwi]

Does anyone have a link to the affidavit?

 

[outback]

No ankle monitor?? Seriously.
Jmo

 

[Inthedetails]

Answers one of our questions:

Kentucky Kernel further reports a signed affidavit by members of the Lexington Police Department “states the newborn appeared to be full term” when the baby was found.

Authorities believe former UK student's baby was 'full-term' at birth, records state - WNKY News 40 Television

Laken Snelling walks out during her preliminary hearing on Friday, Sept. 26, 2025, at Fayette County District Court in Lexington, Ky. Source: Kentucky Kernel Staff. WARNING: This story contains graphic information regarding pregnancy, childbirth and an infant death. Reader/viewer discretion is...

www.wnky.com

 

[Inthedetails]

The affidavit states Snelling had told police the birth occurred at 4 a.m. on Aug. 27 and that the baby “fell onto the floor, and she didn’t think he was ‘breathing or alive.'”

According to Kentucky Kernel, Snelling additionally told police she was “awake for around 30 minutes after giving birth before falling on top of the baby.” ....

Later that morning, around 8:48 a.m., Snelling reportedly stated in a group chat that noises others heard were caused by her “passing out” since she “had not eaten and had not been feeling well.”

Snelling told law enforcement she left her home for a 9:30 a.m. class but sat in her vehicle in the parking lot instead of going. The affidavit says Snelling stated she was “not feeling well,” so she ordered food through an app.

After picking up her food, Snelling reportedly told police she had gone to UK’s student clinic but did not enter it and returned home.

Authorities believe former UK student's baby was 'full-term' at birth, records state - WNKY News 40 Television

Laken Snelling walks out during her preliminary hearing on Friday, Sept. 26, 2025, at Fayette County District Court in Lexington, Ky. Source: Kentucky Kernel Staff. WARNING: This story contains graphic information regarding pregnancy, childbirth and an infant death. Reader/viewer discretion is...

www.wnky.com

 

[starlightstarbright]

It’s really interesting that if she had knee surgery in late December/early January as noted up thread, that the pregnancy wasn’t discovered then. She would have been early on, but definitely still pregnant.

I’m a grown woman who has had 3 pregnancies, so I know exactly how to end up pregnant and what I feel like. and every time I have surgery (and I’ve had quite a few), they make me take a pregnancy test if it’s been more than 14 days since my last period. Heck, when I was LS’s age, I needed a CT scan before knee surgery and they made me take a pregnancy test then.

Maybe it wouldn’t have changed the outcome because she wouldn’t have been required to disclose the information to anyone, but maybe she would have at least been flagged up as someone who needed support and engagement in care.