Friday, 29 Mar 2024

Baby dies weeks after being cut from murdered mother’s womb

An infant boy who was cut from his mother’s womb with a butcher’s knife several weeks ago has died in hospital.

Yovanny Jadiel Lopez had been in a grave condition since the April attack in Chicago that killed 19-year-old Marlen Ochoa-Lopez.

The baby died from a severe brain injury at Christ Medical Centre in Oak Lawn, according to a statement by family spokeswoman Julie Contreras.

“Please keep his family in your thoughts and prayers as they go through this difficult time,” Ms Contreras said.

Another family spokeswoman, Cecilia Garcia, also confirmed the baby’s death on Facebook.

He had been on life support since being brought to the hospital on 23 April.

Prosecutors say Clarisa Figueroa, 46, claimed she had given birth to the child.

She and her 24-year-old daughter, Desiree Figueroa, are charged with murder over the death of Marlen Ochoa-Lopez.

Chicago police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said he expects both women will now be charged with murder in connection with the infant’s death.

Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office told Sky News it will make a determination on additional charges in the case after the medical examiner’s office and the police department have completed their investigations.

Clarisa Figueroa’s boyfriend, Piotr Bobak, is charged with concealing a homicide. The three defendants are due back in court on 26 June.

A spokesperson for Christ Medical Centre told Sky News: “Our hearts and prayers continue to be with the Ochoa-Lopez family, whose courage and grace have drawn the admiration of our entire organisation.”

Authorities allege that not long after Clarisa Figueroa’s adult son died of natural causes, she told her family she was pregnant.

They say she plotted for months to acquire a newborn, and that she posted an ultrasound and photos of a room decorated for a baby on her Facebook page.

In March, she and Ms Ochoa-Lopez connected on a Facebook page for pregnant women.

Prosecutors allege the two first met in person around 1 April, when Ms Ochoa-Lopez went to the Figueroas’ house and left unharmed.

The teenager returned on 23 April to accept Clarisa Figueroa’s offer of free baby clothes, and as Desiree Figueroa was showing Ms Ochoa-Lopez a photo album of her late brother to distract her, Clarisa Figueroa allegedly sneaked up behind her and strangled her with a cord.

Once Ms Ochoa-Lopez stopped showing signs of life, Clarisa Figueroa cut the baby from her womb and she and her daughter wrapped the teenager’s body in a blanket, put it in a plastic bag and dragged it outside to a rubbish bin, according to prosecutors.

Later that day, Clarisa Figueroa called 911 claiming that her newborn baby was not breathing. When first responders arrived, the child was blue.

They tried to resuscitate the infant and took him to Christ Medical Center, where he remained until his death.

Ms Ochoa-Lopez was already mother to one young son.

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