Marlen Ochoa-Lopez
CHICAGO — A Chicago prosecutor says a mother charged in the grisly killing of a pregnant teen whose baby was cut from her body wanted another baby after her own son died of natural causes.
Nearly a month before the murder of 19-year-old Marlen Ochoa-Lopez, Clarisa Figueroa allegedly told her daughter, "I need help killing a pregnant woman and taking a baby."
That's just one of the horrific details that prosecutors revealed in bond court Friday. Clarisa Figueroa, 46, and her daughter Desiree Figueroa, 24, who are charged with Ochoa-Lopez's murder, were denied bond Friday. Clarisa's boyfriend, 40-year-old Piotr Bobak, who is charged with the concealment of a homicide, was also denied bond.
In a bond court document, prosecutors say Desiree Figueroa was surprised to hear her mother say she was pregnant in October, 2018, since Clarisa's fallopian tubes had been tied. Two months later Clarisa posted an ultrasound image on Facebook she claimed showed her baby, according to the document. She also posted a photo of a crib and baby room in the Facebook group "Help a Mother Out," saying they were for her baby Xander.
On April 23, Ochoa-Lopez went to home of the Figueroas to pick up free baby clothes Clarisa had offered. Authorities said she had made the arrangements with Clarisa through the "Help a Mother Out" Facebook group. She was nine months pregnant at the time.
Left to right: Piotr Bobak, 40. Desiree Figueroa, 24. Clarisa Figueroa, 46. (Chicago Police Department)
Prosecutors said Desiree showed the victim a photo album of her late brother while her mother Clarisa strangled her. Ochoa-Lopez managed to get her fingers under the cord around her neck and Clarisa yelled at her daughter, "You're not doing your f---ing job!"
Desiree then pried Ochoa-Lopez's fingers from the cord while her mother continued to strangle the teen, prosecutors said.
Ochoa-Lopez’s baby boy was cut from her womb after she was killed, prosecutors said.
Hours later that same day, Clarisa came running out of the home claiming that she had just given birth to a baby boy and that he wasn’t breathing. The baby was transported to Advocate Christ Medical Center, Chicago fire officials confirmed.
The baby boy, Yadiel Yovany Lopez, remains hospitalized on life support and is in grave condition, presumably from a lack of oxygen before birth.
Prosecutors said Clarisa set up a GoFundMe for the baby, who was in the NICU, before the deception was revealed.
It was also learned that Desiree is four months pregnant, her attorney said.
Funeral arrangements for Ochoa-Lopez have not yet been released.
