Kentucky cheerleader, 21, appears glammed up in court to face charges for ‘hiding dead baby in trash bag’
A Kentucky college cheerleader appeared in court glammed up after she was charged with concealing the birth of her own baby, who was found dead in a garbage bag.
Lake Snelling, a 21-year-old University of Kentucky student, made her first appearance before a judge on Tuesday where she appeared stone-faced in a red dress and makeup.
She pleaded not guilty to the charges and was ordered to be put on house incarceration at her parents’ home in Tennessee while she awaits trial.
Snelling, who posted a $100,000 bond, won’t have to wear an ankle monitor and is scheduled to return to court on September 26.
Snelling, who allegedly admitted to giving birth to the baby before her arrest, posted images in June where her boyfriend held her stomach, which appeared to have a visible bump.
Other images posted on social media in recent months also showed Snelling with what appeared to be a stomach bump.
However it’s not clear if Snelling had announced a pregnancy to anyone.
Pictured: Lake Snelling, 21, appeared in court on Tuesday and pleaded not guilty to the three charges against her
Snelling is pictured leaving the courtroom with her lawyer. She has been accused of hiding her dead newborn baby in a garbage bag and leaving it in a closet
Officers with the Lexington Police Department were called to Snelling’s home for a report of ‘a deceased infant being located inside of a closet’ on Wednesday morning, officials said.
The baby was pronounced dead at the scene at around 10:30am.
It’s not clear who called police to report the alleged crime.
An arrest citation said the ‘infant was located wrapped in a towel inside of a black trash bag’.
Snelling admitted to concealing the birth by cleaning any evidence before hiding the supplies and the infant, who was wrapped in a towel, in a trash bag, according to the citation.
As previously reported, Snelling is a member of the University of Kentucky ‘stunt team,’ a competitive cheer program, according to the school’s athletics website.
‘We can confirm that she has been a member of the STUNT team for the last three seasons,’ the university said in a statement to LEX 18. ‘All other questions should be directed to the Lexington Police.’
Snelling is from White Pine, Tennessee, and was studying Interdisciplinary Disability Studies at the University of Kentucky
Snelling is from White Pine, Tennessee, and was studying Interdisciplinary Disability Studies at the University of Kentucky.
A near-total abortion ban has been in effect in Kentucky since 2022, with no exceptions for rape or incest.
The ban only permits abortion to prevent the ‘substantial risk of death’ or to prevent the ‘serious, permanent impairment of a life-sustaining organ’ of the pregnant person.
