Lexington, Kentucky — A former University of Kentucky cheerleader has been sentenced to 10 years in prison after admitting to killing her newborn son, whose body was discovered inside a black plastic trash bag in an off-campus home.
Laken Snelling, 22, received the sentence Friday after pleading guilty in August to first-degree manslaughter, abuse of a corpse, tampering with physical evidence and concealing the birth of an infant. The case has drawn attention to the circumstances surrounding the baby’s death and the statements Snelling made during court proceedings.
Before the sentence was announced, relatives of the child described the loss of a future they had hoped to share with him.
Laken Snelling Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison
Snelling appeared in Fayette Circuit Court, where Judge Diane Minnifield delivered the sentence following her guilty plea.
Prosecutors had recommended a 10-year prison term for the manslaughter charge, along with one year each for the remaining offenses. Snelling ultimately received a 10-year sentence.
According to Fox 56, Snelling will become eligible for parole after serving 85% of her sentence, although she is not eligible for probation.
The former cheerleader initially pleaded not guilty in April but later admitted responsibility for the baby’s death. During her August plea hearing, she addressed the court while crying.
“I was under a lot of emotional stress and my baby came unexpectedly,” Snelling said.
She also acknowledged what happened after the birth, stating, “Instead of helping him I ended his life and afterwards I cleaned up and didn’t tell anyone.”
According to reports, she had previously told the court, “Instead of helping him, I ended his life.”
Family Members Describe the Loss of Baby McCoy Cade Hall
Before Judge Minnifield announced the sentence, the court heard emotional statements about the child, who had been named McCoy Cade Hall.
One relative described the hopes that come with welcoming a grandchild and the memories the family had expected to create as he grew older.
“As a grandparent, you imagine the memories you’ll make with your grandchildren,” the relative told the court, adding that she had looked forward to “first words, kisses, and all the little moments that become lifelong memories.”
The woman also spoke about the milestones Cade would never experience.
“You look forward to watching them grow and seeing the person they become,” she added. “For Cade, those possibilities were taken away before he ever had the chance to experience them.”
The statements highlighted the family’s grief and the future they believed had been taken away by the child’s death.
Roommates Discovered the Newborn in an Off-Campus Home
The investigation began on August 27, 2025, when Lexington police responded to an off-campus residence after Snelling’s roommates discovered the newborn’s body.
According to reports, the baby boy was wrapped in a towel and placed inside a black plastic bag found in a closet. The roommates also reported finding a blood-soaked towel on the floor and a plastic bag containing evidence of childbirth.
They contacted emergency services after making the discovery.
The roommates later said they had suspected Snelling was concealing a pregnancy. Their discovery led investigators to examine the circumstances surrounding the birth and the newborn’s death.
The case subsequently resulted in multiple criminal charges against Snelling.
Medical Findings and Snelling’s Changing Account
According to the Kentucky Medical Examiner’s Office, the baby was born alive and died from asphyxia by undetermined means.
Snelling initially told police that the baby had fallen onto the floor after she gave birth. She said she did not believe he was breathing or alive.
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She later gave a different account, saying she had passed out “on top of the baby” and woke up to find him “turning blue and purple.”
Court documents also indicated that Snelling told medical staff the newborn had shown “a little bit of fetal movement” and made a “whimper” after birth.
Investigators further alleged that Snelling had taken several photographs while she was in labor but later deleted them in an attempt to conceal the birth.
Her eventual guilty plea resolved the criminal charges covered by the agreement and led to the prison sentence announced Friday.
What Happens Next in the Case?
Snelling’s 10-year sentence marks a significant development in a case that began with the discovery of a newborn’s body at an off-campus residence in Lexington.
Her parole eligibility will depend on the applicable sentence calculations and correctional procedures. Although she may become eligible for parole after serving 85% of the term, eligibility does not guarantee release.
The case has also left the child’s family facing the loss described during the sentencing hearing, including the ordinary childhood milestones relatives had hoped to witness.
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