Story perspectives

Former UK Cheerleader Gets 10-Year Manslaughter Sentence

By Drooid · Oct 17, 2026, 6:19 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

Laken Snelling, former University of Kentucky cheerleader, received a 10-year prison sentence.
Judge Diane Minnifield ordered the term to run concurrently with three additional one-year sentences.
Snelling pleaded guilty on Aug. 21 to manslaughter and three related charges.
Infant McCoy Cade Hall, born alive on Aug. 27, 2025, died of asphyxia, cause listed as undetermined.
Snelling will be eligible for parole after serving 85 % of her sentence, but not probation.

History

Historical Context

When the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child entered into force in 1990, it obligated signatories to protect children from violence. By 1995, UNICEF said 190 countries ratified the treaty, prompting legislatures to adopt harsher child-homicide penalties, including Kentucky’s 1993 amendment capping manslaughter at 15 years. Today, Snelling’s 10-year term for the 2025 death of infant McCoy Cade Hall echoes legacy, as Kentucky courts apply heightened sentencing framework from the convention. The precedent suggests future cases will likely face similarly severe punishments, reinforcing the convention’s long-term impact on U.S. child-protection jurisprudence.

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Story summary

Laken Snelling, former University of Kentucky cheerleader, received a 10-year prison sentence.
Judge Diane Minnifield ordered the term to run concurrently with three additional one-year sentences.
Snelling pleaded guilty on Aug. 21 to manslaughter and three related charges.
Infant McCoy Cade Hall, born alive on Aug. 27, 2025, died of asphyxia, cause listed as undetermined.
Snelling will be eligible for parole after serving 85 % of her sentence, but not probation.

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