TRUE CRIME NEWSKentucky Cheerleader Goes to McDonald's Right After Giving Birth. Then Her Roommates Open the Closet and See Something Wrapped Like a 'Burrito'
Laken Snelling's roommates discovered the newborn’s remains wrapped like a 'burrito' inside a closet after she left to get McDonald's.
Oct. 21 2026, Updated 6:09 a.m. ET
Laken Snelling, a former University of Kentucky cheerleader, went to McDonald’s after giving birth in August 2025.
Later, her roommates opened her closet and found the baby wrapped like a "burrito."
Snelling, 22, was sentenced to 10 years in prison on Friday, October 16, after pleading guilty in August to first-degree manslaughter, abuse of a corpse, tampering with physical evidence, and concealing the birth of an infant.
Laken Snelling’s Roommates Found Evidence After She Left
Laken Snelling’s roommates contacted Lexington police after discovering evidence of childbirth in her bedroom and the baby’s remains in a closet.
Snelling gave birth to a boy on August 27, 2025, at a home on the 400 block of Park Avenue in Lexington, Kentucky, near the University of Kentucky campus.
She was a cheerleader at the university and originally came from Tennessee, according to her school biography.
Her roommates later reported hearing loud noises for about an hour, which were reportedly strong enough to knock a picture off a wall. Snelling told them she had passed out because she had not eaten enough and went to get McDonald’s, according to court records reviewed by Law&Crime.
After she left, her roommates entered her bedroom to investigate. They found a blood-soaked towel on the floor and a plastic bag containing evidence of childbirth. They also discovered the baby’s remains inside a closet.
The roommates called the Lexington Police Department at around 10:30 a.m. that day.
Laken Snelling Described What Happened After Giving Birth
Laken Snelling told police she passed out after giving birth and later found her baby turning blue and purple.
When police questioned Snelling, she said she gave birth and then passed out on top of the baby. She claimed that when she woke up, the child was "turning blue and purple."
Snelling said she believed the baby was dead.
She told investigators she "wrapped him like a burrito" and lay next to him because it "gave her a little comfort."
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Laken Snelling’s case centered on the events following the birth of her son in Lexington, Kentucky.
Investigators later reviewed her phone and social media activity, uncovering pregnancy-related searches, photos taken during labor, and other evidence that she had concealed her pregnancy.
Medical staff at the university also told investigators that Snelling reported the baby showed "a little bit of fetal movement" at birth and made a "whimper."
She reportedly said she "guessed" the baby was alive.
Snelling was arrested days later. The child was subsequently found to have died of asphyxiation.
Laken Snelling Admitted To Ending Her Baby’s Life
Laken Snelling received a 10-year prison sentence after pleading guilty in her newborn son’s death.
During her sentencing, Fayette Circuit Judge Diane Minnifield said a pre-sentence investigation found that Snelling grew up in a stable home and had no prior criminal record, according to Court TV.
The judge addressed the consequences of Snelling’s actions in court.
"Sometimes we make choices and decisions, and there's a consequence for each of those. And, you know, sometimes those choices and consequences affect our future for the rest of our lives," Minnifield told her.
In August, Snelling tearfully admitted responsibility for her son’s death.
She said she was "under a lot of emotional stress, and my baby came unexpectedly, and instead of helping him, I ended his life."
She also acknowledged what she did "afterwards, I cleaned up and didn't tell anyone."
When the judge pressed her for details, Snelling stated, "I deprived him of oxygen" and "I put the towels in a plastic bag."
