Chicago woman sentenced to 50 years without parole after killing pregnant teen and cutting baby from womb

Clarisa Figueroa lured Marlen Ochoa-Lopez, who was 9 months pregnant, to her home by promising her free baby clothes

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A Chicago woman was sentenced to 50 years in prison for the 2019 murder of a 9-month pregnant woman, whose baby was cut out of her womb.

Clarisa Figueroa changed her plea to guilty of first degree murder on Tuesday. 

The 50-year sentence came 5 years after she allegedly murdered 19-year-old Marlen Ochoa-Lopez on April 23, 2019, and cut the woman's baby from her womb.

Cook County Judge Peggy Chiampas asked if Figueroa understood she would have to serve 100% of that time and would not get an early release.

CHICAGO WOMAN ACCUSED OF HELPING MOTHER KILL PREGNANT TEEN AND CUTTING THE BABY OUT GIVES BIRTH

[L-R] Clarisa Figueroa and Marlen Ochoa-Lopez

[L-R] Clarisa Figueroa and Marlen Ochoa-Lopez. Figueroa was sentenced to 50 years in prison Tuesday for her role in the murder of Marlen Ochoa-Lopez. (FOX 32)

"Yes," Figueroa replied.

Figueroa's guilty plea came after her daughter, Desiree Figueroa, admitted to assisting her mother in the elaborate murder plot.

Desiree agreed to testify against her mother and was charged with 30 years in prison.

Authorities said that the plot began after Figueroa's adult son died of natural causes and the woman began her desperate search for a newborn.

Authorities said that she posted an ultrasound and photos of a room decorated for a baby on her Facebook page. 

In March 2019, she and Ochoa-Lopez connected on a Facebook page for pregnant women. Figueroa allegedly lied to Ochoa-Lopez about being pregnant.

Marlen Ochoa-Lopez smiling

Marlen Ochoa-Lopez, who was a mother of a 3-year-old son and 9-months pregnant at the time of her murder in 2019, was lured into Figueroa's home. (Chicago Police Department)

The mother-daughter duo allegedly lured the 19-year-old victim into their home in Chicago with the promise of free baby clothes after posting an advertisement on Facebook.

THREE ARRESTED IN MURDER OF CHICAGO WOMAN, 19, WHO WAS 9 MONTHS PREGNANT, COPS SAY

"She was giving clothes away, supposedly under the pretense that her daughters had been given clothes, and they had all these extra boy clothes," Cicilia Garcia, a spokeswoman for the family, said.

Figueroas-Bobak-Mugshots

This combination of booking photos provided by the Chicago Police Department on Thursday, May 16, 2019, shows from left, Pioter Bobak, 40; Clarisa Figueroa, 46; and Desiree Figueroa, 24.  (Chicago Police Department)

Police previously said that Clarisa Figueroa used a coaxial cable to strangle Ochoa-Lopez and then cut the baby from her womb.

Desiree Figueroa admitted to handing her mother a kitchen knife that was used to cut the baby from the womb.

FLASHBACK: BODY OF WOMAN, 19, WHO WAS 9 MONTHS PREGNANT IS FOUND IN CHICAGO, AUTHORITIES SAY

Detectives investigating Ochoa-Lopez’s disappearance discovered that she had gone to the Figueroas’ home.

After finding Ochoa-Lopez's car near Figueroa's home, they found her body in a garbage can outside the home.

Later, Figueroa called 911, lying that she had given birth and her newborn was not breathing.

When the baby boy was taken by paramedics to a hospital, nurses became suspicious, and the baby boy underwent DNA testing.

The testing determined the baby to be Ochoa-Lopez and her husband's child. The baby, Yovanny Jadiel Lopez, died months later, in June 2019.

Marlen Ochoa-Lopez crying

Arnulfo Ochoa, the father of Marlen Ochoa-Lopez, is surrounded by family members and supporters, as he walks into the Cook County medical examiner's office to identify his daughter's body in Chicago. (Ashlee Rezin/Chicago Sun-Times via AP)

Clarisa Figueroa tricked her boyfriend, Piotr Bobak, into believing he was the father, according to police and prosecutors.

Bobak cleaned up the crime scene and was sentenced to four years in prison after pleading guilty to obstruction of justice. He was released on parole last year.

Fox News Digital's Frank Miles and the Associated Press contributed to this report.

Sarah Rumpf-Whitten is a breaking news writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business. 

She is a native of Massachusetts and is based in Orlando, Florida.

Story tips and ideas can be sent to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and on X: @s_rumpfwhitten.

Authored by Sarah Rumpf-Whitten via FoxNews April 16th 2024