Laken Snelling, ex-Kentucky student whose infant was found dead in closet, pleads guilty to manslaughter - NBC News
Laken Snelling, a former University of Kentucky student, pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter for the death of her infant son. She admitted to depriving the child of oxygen and concealing the birth after the infant's body was discovered in a closet.
Why it matters
The case highlights a tragic instance of infanticide and the legal consequences for concealing a birth, drawing significant public and media attention.
A former University of Kentucky student-athlete pleaded guilty Friday to first-degree manslaughter in the death of her infant son, whose body was found inside a trash bag in a closet. Laken Snelling had initially pleaded not guilty after a grand jury indicted her on several charges, including first-degree manslaughter, abuse of a corpse, tampering with physical evidence and concealing the birth of an infant. Snelling, 22, changed her plea to guilty on Friday, NBC affiliate in Lexington, Kentucky, WLEX reported. Appearing before Fayette County Circuit Court Judge Diane Minnifield, Snelling began crying as she entered her guilty plea. “I was under a lot of emotional stress and my baby came unexpectedly,” Snelling tearfully told the judge. “And instead of helping him, I ended his life.
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