Woman sentenced to 50 years for luring and killing pregnant teen, and Cutting Baby from Womb

Clarisa Figueroa, aged 51, was handed a 50-year incarceration term for the murder of Marlen Ochoa-Lopez, 19, and the extraction of her unborn baby in 2019. This tragic incident unfolded in Chicago, as Clarisa faced her sentencing in a Cook County courtroom on April 16. The harrowing account, as detailed by the Associated Press, depicted how Clarisa strangled the pregnant Marlen Ochoa-Lopez with a cable on April 23, 2019.

 During her sentencing, Clarisa opted not to speak but acknowledged her understanding of serving the entire sentence without the possibility of early parole. Media outlets such as the AP, the Washington Post, and WLS-TV covered this chilling trial. Clarisa's daughter, Desiree, aged 29, had previously pleaded guilty to first-degree murder in January, implicating both in the heinous crime. Their involvement extended to the murder of newborn Yovanny Lopez back in July 2013, confirmed by PEOPLE at the time. 

Reports suggested that Desiree and Clarisa enticed Ochoa-Lopez to their home through a deceitful Facebook post offering baby items. Upon her arrival, they strangled her and forcibly removed her baby from her womb. Despite medical efforts, the infant, Yovanny Lopez, tragically passed away in June 2019, as conveyed by family spokesperson Julie Contreras. Yovanny endured severe brain damage and succumbed to a lack of oxygen and blood to his brain, along with complications arising from his mother's assault and demise, according to the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office, as reported by the Chicago Tribune. 

In a heart-wrenching statement delivered in both Spanish and English during the courtroom proceedings on April 16, Marlen Ochoa-Lopez's husband mourned the loss, highlighting the profound impact on their older child, Joshua. He shared the unbearable pain of holding his infant son during his final moments and expressed his faith in divine justice.

Despite attempts to reach out, the Cook County court, sheriff's office, and the Chicago Police Department remained silent on the matter. Desiree, after her confession in January, received a 30-year prison sentence in exchange for her testimony against her mother. Reports suggested that Clarisa, motivated by the recent loss of her adult son and her desire for another child, orchestrated the crime despite having undergone a tubal ligation.

Former Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson revealed that the suspects aimed to raise the stolen child as their own, following Clarisa's purported false pregnancy. They staged a dramatic scene by calling 911 to report the birth of a struggling baby boy. Investigators found no evidence of childbirth until the discovery of Ochoa-Lopez’s body in a garbage can on the Figueroas’ property.

Further complicating the situation, Desiree's boyfriend, Piotr Bobak, 44, faced charges related to the crime. He ultimately received a four-year sentence but was released early in January 2023 after receiving credit for time served. He pled guilty to obstruction of justice. Additionally, Desiree gave birth to her own child while in custody approximately six months after the tragic events unfolded.