“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” – John 1:54
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One year ago, University of Kentucky student, Laken Snelling, was arrested on several charges that involved the death of her newborn son. When officers arrived at Snelling’s off-campus home in August of 2025, they located an infant, who was pronounced dead at the scene.
Snelling allegedly hid her dead infant in her closet after giving birth. She was specifically charged with the abuse of a corpse, tampering with physical evidence, and concealing the birth of an infant. Initially, Snelling pleaded not guilty, but on August 21st, she pleaded guilty before Fayette County Circuit Court Judge Diane Minnifield.
Snelling pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter and three other charges in connection with the death of her newborn son. In court, she admitted, “I was under a lot of emotional stress and my baby came unexpectedly… and instead of helping him, I ended his life.” On October 16th, there is a scheduled sentencing hearing for Snelling.
This gut-wrenching story is the result of a culture that for far too long treated the preborn as nothing more than a collection of cells. That worldview, which devalues human life is what lead to Snelling’s decision to end the life of her newborn child. She saw her son as a problem, not a person.
Furthermore, this story should never have happened. In Kentucky, for mothers in crisis, there are options. There are at least 68 hospital-grade safe haven “baby boxes” across the state where mothers can safely and anonymously surrender their newborns if they are unable to provide proper care for their child. These baby boxes allow mothers to ensure the safety of their child and give the beautiful gift of life to them. This story reminds us of the important work still ahead of us in the fight to protect life. We need to cultivate a culture that honors human life from the point of conception until natural death.
LET US PRAY…
Father, empower us to speak the truth about the dignity and value of every human being, so that our culture may honor life at every stage. Lord, please use this very disturbing situation for good, and to change our culture’s worldview into one where life is cherished. Father, please help mothers in crisis to use the baby boxes throughout Kentucky so that these babies in need may be safe and experience the gift of life. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.