College student arrested after newborn baby found dead

A senior at the University of Kentucky has been arrested for allegedly concealing the birth of her infant who was found dead in a trash bag inside a closet.

Lexington police arrested 21-year-old student athlete Laken Snelling on Sunday. She has been a member of the University of Kentucky STUNT team for the past three seasons, according to the university.

Police reportedly discovered the infant after being called to an apartment on Park Avenue in Lexington, where they located the deceased baby hidden in a closet. Snelling was charged with tampering with evidence, abuse of a corpse and concealing the birth of an infant.

“She had been released from custody Monday after posting $100,000 bond and being placed on house arrest to live with her parents, according to court documents obtained by Newsweek,” the outlet reported.

On Tuesday, Snelling appeared in court and pleaded not guilty to the charges.

An autopsy revealed the baby was a boy but did not determine a cause of death, according to WKYT.

Pro-abortionists online reacted to the horrific crime by blaming the state’s restrictions on abortion.

“Abortions are pretty much completely illegal in Kentucky. Stuff like this happens when you FORCE women to give birth,” one account on X posted.

“Kentucky banned abortion and a 21-year-old cheerleader obviously couldn’t access the abortion she wanted, because she wouldn’t have given birth alone and hidden her dead baby in a closet if she could have.”

Pro-life advocates argue the tragedy shows the need for more counseling for young mothers in difficult situations.

“Kentucky’s protective abortion laws, in place since the 2022 overturning of Roe v. Wade, protect unborn babies,” writes Steve Ertelt for LifeNews.com. “Pro-life advocates argue that this case underscores the importance of providing resources and counseling to young women facing unplanned pregnancies to prevent such outcomes.”

A preliminary hearing in the case is scheduled for Sept. 26.