Neighbors shed light on woman accused of killing pregnant teen Marlen Ochoa-Lopez, cutting baby from womb

Updated

Neighbors of the woman accused of murdering Marlen Ochoa-Lopez before cutting her baby from her womb said they noticed she was behaving oddly for the past few months.

Clarisa Figueroa, 46, was arrested on Thursday and charged with first-degree murder in the death of the 19-year-old expectant mother. Her daughter, 24-year-old Desiree Figueroa, also faces first-degree murder charges while the 46-year-old's boyfriend, 40-year-old Piotr "Pete" Bobak, has been charged with concealment of a homicide.

Investigators say Figueroa desperately wanted to raise another child a year after her adult son died of natural causes. The mother-daughter pair was allegedly showing Ochoa-Lopez photos of the deceased relative in their home on April 23 when they attacked her, working together to strangle her with a cord.

Multiple neighbors told the Chicago Sun-Times that Figueroa had been acting strangely in the days leading up to Ochoa-Lopez's brutal slaying. The 46-year-old allegedly told multiple people that she was pregnant and dubbed it a "miracle" but was frequently spotted drinking alcohol and smoking cigarettes.

A neighbor who asked not to be named also told the paper that an adult daughter of Figueroa's had claimed her mother was lying about her pregnancy.

Doubts surrounding Figueroa's baby news were also voiced in the "Help a Sister Out" Facebook group, where the suspect allegedly first contacted Ochoa-Lopez and promised her free baby supplies, including clothing and a stroller, in order to lure her to her home.

Adriana Floyd, a member of the group, told the Sun-Times that members were skeptical when Figueroa began posting about her pregnancy, as she had shared month before that she had gotten her "tubes tied."

"It never really made sense to us," Floyd told the paper. "We thought, 'You're either lying or you’re crazy. It seemed like she wanted attention."

Ochoa-Lopez, who has a 3-year-old son, was initially reported missing by her family on April 23, the same day that Figueroa was seen running out from her Scottsdale home covered in blood holding a baby wrapped in a towel. Figueroa reportedly screamed that she had just given birth and that the infant wasn't breathing. According to a neighbor, the suspect's shirt and hands were covered in blood, but not her shorts.

An ambulance rushed the suspect and baby boy, who was "pale and blue," to nearby Advocate Christ Hospital for treatment, where the infant still remains in "grave" condition.

Pete Bobak took to his Facebook page on May 7 to share a GoFundMe page that was started on behalf of him and his girlfriend to cover funeral expenses for the sick child, Xander Xavier Bobak, writing, "My son is a fighter made it this far, but not much time left, life support, brain dead, very little function in the brain." The page raised $1,255 of its $9,000 goal before it was shut down.

The fundraising campaign wove an intricate tale of how Figueroa was 36 weeks pregnant when she "found herself terrified as she began to experience abnormal labor pains while alone in her house."

"Within moments, she gave birth to her son Xander at 7lbs as she called 911 and followed the instructions of the emergency dispatcher," the page read. "Quickly, the ambulance came and rushed the baby and performed CPR as they found the baby had been struggling without oxygen. They were both admitted to the hospital to discover Clarisa was suffering from preeclampsia, explaining the sudden birth."

"(Figueroa and Bobak) are preparing to say good bye to their baby boy as they have to accept that Xander won't survive too much longer," the devious fundraiser added. "It is an unimaginable loss that no person should ever have to endure. One you never get over."

Photo: GoFundMe/Screenshot

On May 8, Ochoa-Lopez's car was discovered in Scottsdale about a block away from Figueroa's home, the Chicago Sun-Times reports. An anonymous tip led police to conduct a DNA test on the hospitalized baby, which confirmed he belonged to Ochoa-Lopez and her husband, Yovany Lopez, and not the two suspects.

The young mother's body was discovered that same day in a trash can behind the Scottsdale residence, which belongs to Figueroa's mother.

"Words cannot express how disgusting and thoroughly disturbing these allegations are," Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson said during a Thursday press conference.

The slain teen's family has decided to name the struggling infant Yadiel — a name Ochoa-Lopez had previously chosen — and say they are hoping for the best while preparing for the worst.

The victim's husband told reporters that his wife's killers "don't know the pain they've caused" and vowed to bring them to justice.

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