Hidden True Crime - Kentucky Cheerleader Hides Her Baby in Closet | The FULL Story of Laken Snelling

Episode Date: September 18, 2025

When police discovered a newborn baby hidden in a trash bag in college student Laken Snelling’s closet, the shocking case made national headlines. Once a homecoming queen and pageant winner, Laken is now facing felony charges—while questions swirl: Was this a desperate act of panic, or something far more sinister? In this episode, we unpack everything we know so far, explore chilling parallels to other cases, and ask: who really was Laken Snelling, and how did it come to this? To get up 35% off on your order of Beam Dream, head to www.shopbeam.com/Truecrime and use code TRUECRIME About Hidden True Crime What started as a simple conversation at their dinner table became a captivating podcast. Join the dynamic duo of Dr. John Matthias, a criminal psychologist, and Lauren Matthias, an investigative journalist, as they delve into the psychological facets of unthinkable crimes every week. Their unique perspectives and in-depth analysis offer a fresh take on true crime storytelling. Thank you for your support through sponsorships, subscribing, listening, and becoming a Patreon member at⁠ Patreon.com/HiddenTrueCrime⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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21-year-old Lakin Snelling is now behind bars at the Baye County Detention Center, unresponsive infant that was found inside a closet. College student in Kentucky is charged in the death of her newborn. The infant is wrapped in a baby blanket and left to die. You can see in that video what appears to be a baby bump. One of the big questions in this story that's still unanswered is who's that child's father and who else could face charges. Do you want to warn you that some of the details in this story are disturbing. Hello, gems. I have been wanting to talk about this report.

recent story together for a while now. I'm Lauren Matthias, and this is hidden in true crime. Thank you for liking, subscribing, and hyping this episode. Most all of us, if not all of us, would agree that there's nothing more precious than a newborn baby. But time and time again, we see headlines about young women and girls taking drastic, desperate measures to hide the fact that they've given birth. Many of these cases end in tragedy and leave lingering questions about the mother's intent, fear, and circumstances. Now, another story has made headlines, this time surrounding a college student named Lakin Snelling. We say they found a newborn baby in her closet, wrapped in a towel, and hidden inside a trash bag. But the baby's cause of death still pending, the details remain

unclear. Was this the heartbreaking act of someone overwhelmed or the deliberate crime of someone trying to erase a secret? Since the case first broke, people from Lakin's past have come forward. Some describing her as a bully, image obsessed, competitive, and a perfectionist. That picture only adds another layer to the question. Who was Lakin really? And what led her to do this? She seemed to have it all. Unfortunately, Lakin's story, though, is not unique. Around the world. Countless cases have surfaced of young women discarding their babies often under circumstances marked by shame, secrecy, or panic. Each case forces us to confront uncomfortable truths about stigma, support systems, and the devastating choices made behind closed doors. And that's

why I'm looking forward to talking to you about it here tonight. Please share your thoughts and comments. It also pushes us to ask, what can we as the society do to make sure this doesn't keep happening. Let's go over everything we know so far about this case and the questions that still remain unanswered. How does someone who seems to have it all end up here? And is this truly a case of a so-called mean girl turned murderer or a tragic misunderstanding? So let's go back to the beginning. Lakin was born in December 2003 to Terry and Michelle Snelling in the quiet town of White Pine, Tennessee near Jefferson City. Her father, Terry, worked as a a construction company supervisor, and she had an older sister named Autumn. From a young age,

Lakin was involved in beauty pageants and cheerleading. She was very popular at Jefferson County High School, where she was even crowned Homecoming Queen. Beyond school, she also won local pageants, such as Miss Teen Jefferson County and Fairest of the Fair. Lakin was also active in her community, participating in outreach events like school supply and toy drives after being crowned in pageants. After graduating from Jefferson County High School, she began attending the University of Kentucky, where her family has roots as well. It seems her family split their time between Kentucky and Tennessee, alternating living between the two states. The University of Kentucky is located in Lexington and is home. It's one of the nation's top collegiate basketball programs as well as a rapidly growing stunt team that competes at the national level.

Lakin was a member of this stunt team, which is different. from traditional cheerleading. College stunt is a competitive sport for female athletes. It emphasizes the technical and athletic aspects of cheerleading, including partner stunts, jumps, tumbling, pyramids, tosses, and full team routines. It's a fast-growing sport that was recently granted official championship status by the NCAA. Lakin was also majoring in interdisciplinary disability studies at UK. Students in interdisciplinary disability studies, they often learn about the history of disability rights, analyze social barriers,

and explore ways to create more inclusive environments. And during her time at the school, Lakin could often be seen spending time with friends at the top of her stunt team's pyramid and always smiling, yes, always smiling, seemingly living a picture, perfect life. She had a history of dating other athletes, including her former boyfriend,

21-year-old Isaiah Hall, a quarterback from Cumberland University in Lebanon, Tennessee. More recently, she had been dating former college basketball player Connor Jordan, who played for King University in Tennessee. So Connor and Isaiah. And so with that background, let's get into the timeline of events in this case. Shortly after 1030 a.m. on Wednesday, August 27th, an unknown person rumored to be a roommate of Lakers made a horrific discovery in her apartment.

Now, it is still unclear what prompted this person to enter Lakin's bedroom, but inside her closet, they found a newborn baby wrapped in a towel and placed in a trash back. The person immediately called 911 and reported that the baby was cold to the touch. This detail is important because it indicated that the baby was not viable for CPR. It also suggested the baby had not been born very recently within minutes or hours, but officials, they still needed to look at. locate Lakin to ensure she was safe. Using nearby flock cameras, officers located her at another unspecified location at around 11, 18 a.m., less than an hour after the 911 call. By noon, Lakin was at the Lexington Police Department undergoing a medical examination. She reportedly

admitted to giving birth and cleaning up the scene, placing the baby in the bag along with the trash. Said it all right there. There have been other rumors about what may or may not have. have occurred, which we will discuss in this episode. But just before 5 p.m., Lakin was officially placed under arrest and charged with abuse of a corpse, tampering with physical evidence, and concealing the birth of an infant. And in Kentucky, these charges, they carry serious consequences. Abuse of a corpse and tampering with evidence are both class D felonies, punishable by one to five years in prison and fines up to $10,000. Concealing the birth of an infant is a class a misdemeanor, which could mean up to a year in jail and a $500 fine. And of course, it found

guilty. Lakin's actual sentence will depend on the judge and any aggravating circumstances. So on Tuesday, September 3rd, Lakin appeared in court alongside her attorney, Brandon Marshall. She pleaded not guilty to all three charges. Afterwards, she was released on a $100,000 bond and placed on house arrest at her parents' home in Tennessee, roughly 200 miles away. She was seen leaving the courthouse following behind her sister Autumn, her father, Terry, wearing a red dress and keeping her head down. Lake and Snelling entering a courtroom Tuesday in downtown Lexington. Standing next to attorney Brandon Marshall, Snelling entered a plea of not guilty at a 1 p.m. arraignment. The 21-year-old was arrested by Lexington police, charged with abuse of a corpse,

tampering with physical evidence, and concealing the birth of an infant. According to an arrest citation. Officers were called to her home last Wednesday after a dead newborn was found hidden in a closet. The citation says the infant was found wrapped in a towel inside of a black trash bag. Also, according to the citation, after being interviewed by officers Snelling admitted to giving birth and to concealing the birth by cleaning any evidence, placing all cleaning items used inside of a black trash bag, including the infant who was wrapped in a towel. After being arrested, she was in the Fayette County Detention Center until yesterday, posting a $100,000 bond according to a court document. Now on home incarceration with no ankle monitor,

Snelling is on house arrest at her parents' home in Tennessee. Since the story broke, many people have wondered why Lakin hasn't been charged with murder, because she hasn't yet. As of now, the baby reported to be a baby boy has an autopsy with inconclusive results. The county court office confirmed that the baby was born on August 27th, meaning he had not been deceased for very long before being located, but long enough for the body to be cold. In a statement, County coroner, Gary W. Jin said, quote, I understand the community's concern and sensitivity surrounding the death of a child. This death affects many lives in our neighboring state of Tennessee, as well as those in the Commonwealth. We are currently conducting a thorough and methodical

death investigation to ensure all facts are carefully considered, end quote. So given all of this information, there are naturally a lot of questions. I have a lot of questions. Did Lakin know that she was pregnant? Was the baby born alive? Why didn't Lakin seek medical attention? And who else might have known? The estimated gestational age of the baby hasn't been officially released, but some evidence has caused speculation that Lakin and perhaps those around her might have been aware. For example, recent month, Lakin posted a photo outlining her goals, and one of them included emojis of a mother and a baby, like a vision board, right? But with emojis, a mother and a baby, this emoji. And so some interpret this as a possible sign that she either knew she was pregnant or she was planning

to become pregnant. There are also recent photos of Lakin performing with her university stunt team, where some observers have noted clearly that she appears to have a visible baby mom. And And for someone like Lakin, who generally has a small frame and the bump is noticeable even in her stunt uniform. Additionally, Lakin shared a photo shoot with her current boyfriend, Connor, that many believe resembles a maternity shoot based on certain hand placements and the style of the dress she wore. It's not clear exactly when she began dating Connor, but their first photos together were posted in April. and some have noted that doing a professional photo shoot so early in a relationship might seem unusual, unless, as they speculate, we all speculate, Lakin became pregnant quickly after they started dating. Speaking of Connor, another key question that has come up for me is, and many of you, who exactly is the father of Lakin's baby boy? While the age of the baby has not been confirmed, Lakin must have been dating her ex-Isaiah recently.

enough for him to also be the possible father. So family members of Isaiah have reported that he has agreed to provide a DNA sample to help determine paternity. And while both the cause of death and the father remain unknown, other questions surrounding the case continue to emerge. And one major question is why Lakin didn't seek medical attention before, during, or after giving birth. She had clearly started showing signs of pregnancy months earlier, as seen in some of her photos. Even if she didn't openly admit she was pregnant. Some observers have pointed out that given the physically demanding and high-risk nature of the sport of stunting, her coaches should have noticed performing flips, pyramids, and stunts that involve being thrown in the air, if you're pregnant, that can be

extremely dangerous for any athlete, let alone a pregnant athlete. And Minnie Phyllis was the coach's responsibility to ensure she was checked medically if showing signs of pregnancy. Others argue that pregnancy and weight gain are intimate topics, though. And perhaps her coaches didn't know how to address it or assume that if she were pregnant, she would seek medical care on her own. And if she was gaining weight, they didn't really want to bring it up. And even if Lakin didn't know she was pregnant or chose to keep it a secret, that still doesn't answer why? Why didn't she go to the hospital or call 911 while giving birth or immediately after giving her? birth. If there was no intention to harm, why try to hide the evidence, right? A quick word from our

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and then use code true crime for up to 35% off your order. Let me know how it tastes and how it goes. So some social media rumors claim that Lakin gave birth at home and the baby wasn't breathing. They suggest she may have even passed out after delivering the placenta and realized that when she woke up that the baby had died, however, many have pointed out that even if the baby didn't immediately breathe on his own,

that is not an excuse for putting him in a trash bag and pretending it didn't happen. Statistics show that between 5% and 10% of newborns don't start breathing immediately and may require some intervention such as stimulation or suction. And if medical professionals or caregivers simply gave up every time a baby didn't breathe right and right away, many otherwise healthy infants would die unnecessarily. Some attorneys who have weighed in on this case suggest that Lakin's lack of urgency and her decision not to call 911 or seek medical attention could indicate intent.

When the baby was found, he was already cold and Lakin hadn't stayed home after cleaning up, which could suggest she never intended to report the birth. It's still unclear how the third party who found the baby knew even to look in her closet. I'm so curious about that, but the thought that the baby might have remained undiscovered is also disturbing. As I mentioned earlier, Lakin's story is not unique. We often hear about infants being discarded, like the case of Alexi Treviso, a high school senior and cheerleader from New Mexico. Alexi gave birth in a hospital bathroom and placed the newborn in the trash. The baby later determined by an autopsy to have been born alive was found dead by hospital cleaning staff. And in July 2025, 22-year-old Catherine Inez was charged with tampering with a human corpse after her newborn baby boy was found in the

back of a garbage truck in Harris County, Texas. In January 2025, 28-year-old Ava Marie Guera was arrested in San Antonio after she allegedly gave birth to a baby boy in a toilet and failed to seek medical attention. He was later found abandoned, but a lie with his umbilical cord still attached. Ava was charged with child abandonment and endangerment of a child. And then, of course, there is Brooke Schuyler Richardson, a high school cheerleader who secretly gave birth to a baby girl in her home in Ohio in May 2017, she buried the newborn in her parents' backyard and was charged with aggravated murder,

child endangerment, and involuntary manslaughter. However, she was only found guilty of gross abuse of a corpse and sentenced to three years of probation. And then in January, 22, 18-year-old Alexis Avila gave birth to a baby boy and discarded him in a dumpster in Hobbs, New Mexico. Fortunately, the baby was discovered alive bypass her by shortly after he was abandoned in near freezing conditions.

But a miracle. And in May, 2023, a jury convicted Alexis, though, of attempted first-degree murder and child abuse resulting in great bodily harm, and she was sentenced to 16 years in prison. In these types of situations, factors like the stigma of teen pregnancy, fear of getting in trouble, lack of access to birth control, and general immaturity are often brought up in the conversation. And it is a conversation to have. But unlike the teenage examples, Lakin is almost 22 years old. She's an adult.

She's living independently. And while societal stigma about having a baby out of wedlock still exists, it is far easier to navigate today than it once was. Lakin also appear to be in a stable relationship. So the question remains, why? Why would Lakin feel the need to hide this baby? Was it fear that Isaiah was the father? concern that Connor would find out that he wasn't the father, it certainly crossed my mind.

Or did this pregnancy simply arrive at a time that wasn't convenient for her life? In cases like this, people from the suspects past often come forward with insights that could help explain their choices. And several classmates and acquaintances of Lakin suggest she may have hidden her pregnancy to protect the perfectionist image she cultivated since high school. And I'm going to share a few things that people have. shared about Lakin, but let's take it all with a grain of salt because everybody's going to have a different opinion of who Lakin was or is, but honestly, we don't know. She's a complex human being.

But from some of the high school friends that have shared their thoughts on Lakin, they have reportedly said she was a quote, unquote, mean girl and a bully. One former classmate, Cindy Kite, said that Lincoln was, quote, obsessed with her appearance, very obsessed with being popular and fitting in and accused her of mercilessly bullying Sidney's sister and friends. Sidney claims that while in high school, Lakin once tried to run over one of her closest friends with a jeep. The bullying escalated to the point where the friend had to be transferred to another school. And even after the transfer, Lakin allegedly continued harassing her online. However, even if, even if Lakin was a mean girl, does that make her a murderer while some are

calling for her to face the harshest possible charges for concealing the birth, others cautioned that the public may be rushing to judgment. A key point is that the cause of death, again, the cause of death still to this day has not been released, so we still don't know exactly what happened. The Fayette County Coroner was asked about whether the case involved a full term, live birth, a stillbirth, whether the pregnancy had been viable, the gestational age of Lakin's pregnancy, County coroner, Gary Jin reportedly said, quote, we've determined all of that, but won't be sharing that information, end quote. So that's interesting. They know. We just don't know. Officials know that the baby was born too early, not viable or still born. It could be considered

cruel to allow the public to continue vilifying Lakin as a potential murderer, right? If they know something that we don't that could help us, not go, you know, and help the public not go on some witch hunt, something far more serious than concealing of birth, let us know. Concealing of birth is a crime for a reason, but it's very different from intentionally harming a newborn baby. Some believe that the lack of public information may be fueling speculation that something more nefarious occurred. And while many questions remain, one of the biggest issues worth discussing, in my opinion, is why cases like this keep happening over and over again. There has to be some psychology behind these situations,

especially when so many of them share similar patterns. And that topic is best explored by my co-host, psychologist John Matthias, and the question I have for him, why do some women and girls conceal their newborns in these ways? Why do the circumstances often appear so similar and how the babies are hidden or discarded? Is the current state of reproductive health care contributing to these situations? And could we see more cases like this in the future?

It's important to note that regardless of which side of the issue you fall on, abortion is now illegal in Kentucky, not even an option. And in some situations, women have even been charged after having a miscarriage, creating a climate of uncertainty and making it harder for women to fully trust the health care system. When things like this happen, there is always suspicion. Why didn't she call for an ambulance when the bleeding started? Did she do something to the baby? How a person handled the pregnancy loss and where it occurs can mean the difference between

a private medical issue and a criminal charge for abuse of a corpse, child neglect, or even murder. Some legal experts note that the growing number of laws in certain states placed people's actions following pregnancy loss under increased scrutiny from law enforcement. Like, for example, women have faced criminal charges after a miscarriage. or stillbirth for failing to seek immediate medical treatment, not pursuing prenatal care, or disposing of fetal remains in ways prosecutors deemed improper. And here's an example. In 2024, 24-year-old Selena Maria Chandler Scott from Georgia was charged with concealing the death of another

and abandoning a dead body. But the charges were later dropped when it was determined she had suffered a natural miscarriage. Pregnancy loss is often traumatic and painful, and critics of these laws argue that people should not be punished for how they respond to that trauma. Madeline Vashilchuk, a law professor at the University of South Carolina, who has researched these types of prosecution, said, quote, it is not satisfying to us that a baby could just die for no reason or an unknown reason. And so we reach for someone to blame. Here is one of the worst moments of a woman life and we're asking them to have a calm, measured reaction. No one tells you what to do in that instance, end quote.

She also noted that doctors rarely inform pregnant women about what state laws or policies require if they miscarry or experience a stillbirth. And even in cases of natural miscarriage or stillbirth, the uncertainty and mistrust women may feel particularly younger women unfamiliar with the law can lead to panic and actions intended to hide what happened. So could this be what happened to Lakin? Or is there something more sinister going on? I don't know. It's hard to say for sure until a more conclusive autopsy is performed. And even if it's determined that the baby wasn't born breathing, should she be charged? For many, hearing that a baby was discarded like trash, literally, in a trash bag, in this case, it makes it

difficult to imagine any explanation other than deliberate wrongdoing. For those of us, who are parents, it is almost unimaginable to think that this could be someone's response to losing a child. If it turns out, Lakin's baby was born alive, the case shifts in an entirely different direction. Lakin is an adult living on her own with access to resources and, in theory, knowledge of the proper channels to follow in such a situation. Some point to the fact that her personal goals included wanting to become a mom. And if that recent photo shoot was indeed a maternity shoot, she may have been devastated by the loss and acted out of panic. On the other hand, if she didn't want the baby,

there were options available such as Safe Haven boxes in Kentucky, where an unwanted baby can be left with no questions asked. Ultimately, it's difficult to know what goes through someone's mind in moments like this. And since these events, Lakin has dropped out of the University of Kentucky, and her next court appearance is set for September 26th. Whatever happens, the loss of that baby boy is undeniably tragic. That's what we can all agree on. And hopefully, as more information comes out, the full picture will become more clear.

Going forward, legal analysis have said that investigators will likely take a number of additional steps to gather a complete picture of what happened. A more in-depth autopsy will likely include toxicology tests, tissue analysis, and a detailed examination at the placenta, umbilical cord, and other medical. evidence. Law enforcement will also likely conduct interviews with everyone connected to Lakin, including her current boyfriend, Connor, and her ex-boyfriend, Isaiah, to understand the timing of her relationships and any potential involvement or knowledge they may have. Friends, family members, and roommates may also be questioned to piece together a timeline and determined who may

have known about the pregnancy or Lakin's recent state of mind. Investigators may also review Lakin's medical history to understand whether she sought medical care or had a history of mental health issues. Her coaches and teammates from the University of Kentucky stunt team could also be interviewed, especially given the physically demanding nature of the sport and how visible the pregnancy seemed to have been. Digital evidence will also likely play a key role as well. Social media, photos, search history, and phone and text messaging records could provide insights into her knowledge, intention and state of mind during and after the birth. So once all of these steps are complete, the coroner can issue a final cause and manner of death, cause and manner, and prosecutors can

decide whether additional charges are warranted. The process may take weeks or months, but either way, I will make sure to bring you any updates as they come in. We are following this story. Until then, please, genuinely, please let me know what you think about this case. It is a conversation that I think needs to be had in a conversation where in the comments, we can agree to disagree. What's most important is that we start talking about this and maybe try to figure out a way to stop these cases from happening so often. Thank you for subscribing once again.

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