A Chicago woman, Clarisa Figueroa, 51, who was indicted of luring a pregnant teen to her residence and using a butcher knife to remove the baby from her womb nearly five years ago, appealed guilty to killing on Tuesday. She was convicted to 50 years in prison.
Chicago Woman Sentence to 50 Years for Killing Pregnant Teen
Reports assert that Figueroa, seated in a wheelchair and attired in a bright yellow jumpsuit, did not make a declaration but asserted her knowledge of serving the complete penalty without parole when asked by Cook County Judge Peggy Chiampas.
Prosecutors detailed how Figueroa strangled 19-year-old Marlen Ochoa-Lopez with a cable on April 23, 2019, after luring her to her residence under the falsehood of offering free clothing for her unborn child.
Ochoa-Lopez, who was nine months pregnant at the time she was murdered. Figueroa then reported to emergency services pressing she had given birth and the baby wasn't respiring. Unluckily, the child passed away roughly two months later.
Yovanny Lopez, Ochoa-Lopez's husband and the father of the child, Yovanny Jadiel Lopez, conveyed in an assertion how the misfortune deeply impacted him and their older child, Joshua, who, he noted, "has lost his mother forever." He also expressed the grief of holding his baby son for the last time. Lopez spoke of divine justice awaiting Figueroa upon her death.
Authorities revealed that shortly after the death of Figueroa's adult son from natural causes, she falsely claimed pregnancy to her family. They asserted that she had orchestrated for months to obtain a newborn, even posting deceptive ultrasound images and nursery photos on social media. In March 2019, she connected with Ochoa-Lopez on a Facebook group for expecting moms.
Investigating detectives learned of Ochoa-Lopez's visit to Figueroa's home. Her car was discovered parked nearby two weeks after her disappearance, and Clarisa's daughter, Desiree Figueroa, informed authorities that her mother had recently given birth. Subsequent DNA tests confirmed the child was not Clarisa's.
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Figueroa's Daughter Pleaded Guilty to Assisting Mother
Figueroa's liable plea followed her daughter, Desiree Figueroa's, admission of helping her mom in the completed killing scheme. Desiree agreed to vouch for her mother and get a 30-year prison sentence.
Authorities revealed the plot began after Figueroa's adult son died naturally, prompting her search for a newborn. Detectives found evidence of Ochoa-Lopez's visit to the Figueroas' home during the investigation into her disappearance. Ochoa-Lopez's remains were discovered in a trash can outside the Figueroa home.
It was revealed that Clarisa had deceived her boyfriend, Piotr Bobak, into believing he was the father. Bobak agreed and cleaned up the crime scene. In 2023, he pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice and was sentenced to four years in prison.
After commiting the crime, Figueroa then treacherously called 911, falsely claiming she had given birth and her newborn was not responsive. Upon arrival at the hospital, nurses suspected foul play, leading to DNA testing confirming the baby as Ochoa-Lopez and her husband's child.
Figueroa's daughter, Desiree, 29, who pleaded guilty to murder in January, was sentenced to 30 years in prison for her role in assisting her mother.
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