A Fayette County judge sentenced former University of Kentucky student Laken Snelling, 22, to 10 years in prison Friday morning in the death of her newborn son, WKYT, WLKY and the Lexington Herald-Leader reported. She was taken into custody right after the hearing, WKYT reported.

Snelling pleaded guilty in August to first-degree manslaughter, abuse of a corpse, tampering with physical evidence and concealing the birth of an infant, WLKY reported. Fayette Circuit Judge Diane Minnifield gave her 10 years on the manslaughter charge and one year on each of the other three charges, and ordered the terms to run at the same time rather than one after another, WKYT and the Lexington Herald-Leader reported. WLKY reported that prosecutors recommended a 13-year sentence. That is the total of the four terms served one after another, and the Herald-Leader reported that 13 years was the most she faced.

The case began in August 2025, when Lexington police were called to a home on Park Avenue for an unresponsive infant, WKYT reported. Police said they found a baby boy wrapped in a towel inside a trash bag in a closet, and he was pronounced dead at the scene, WKYT reported. An autopsy found that the baby was born alive and died of asphyxia, WKYT and WLKY reported.

The baby's father and other relatives addressed the court, WKYT and WLKY reported. "He was not garbage; he was the most beautiful, perfect, innocent, full-term baby boy," the father's sister said, according to WKYT. Snelling's lawyers said she was deeply saddened, had taken responsibility and has been attending counseling, WLKY reported.

The outlets differed on whether Snelling spoke in court. WKYT reported that Snelling spoke to the judge and said, "Instead of helping him, I ended his life." WLKY reported that her lawyers said she would not make a statement because of the media attention.

She will get 415 days of credit for her time on bond, WKYT and the Herald-Leader reported. She is not eligible for probation but can seek parole after serving 85% of her sentence, WKYT reported, and Commonwealth's Attorney Kimberly Baird said the same, according to the Herald-Leader. Kentucky law bars parole for people convicted of a felony involving a victim's death until they serve at least 85% of their sentence.

What we know: Snelling was sentenced to 10 years in prison on Friday after pleading guilty in her newborn son's death.
What we don't: Whether Snelling spoke in court, since WKYT and WLKY gave different accounts.