Daughter of Woman Accused of Strangling Pregnant Teen Agrees to Testify Against Mother

The daughter of a woman who allegedly strangled a pregnant teenager and cut out her unborn child has made a plea deal with prosecutors. Desiree Figueroa, 29, pleaded guilty to the 2019 murder of 19-year-old Marlen Ochoa-Lopez, which will result in a 30-year prison sentence. The deal requires Figueroa to testify against her mother, Clarisa Figueroa, during her trial scheduled for January 26.

Prosecutors claim that Clarisa Figueroa lured Ochoa-Lopez to her Southwest Side home with the promise of free baby clothes. Upon her arrival, Clarisa allegedly used a coaxial cable to strangle the teenager and then used a knife to remove the unborn child from her womb. Desiree Figueroa has confessed to assisting her mother in the crime by prying Ochoa-Lopez’s fingers off the cable and providing a knife to cut open her abdomen.

Ochoa-Lopez had been in contact with Clarisa Figueroa through a Facebook page for expectant mothers. The Figueroas had been planning the murder for weeks before convincing Ochoa-Lopez to visit their home on April 1, 2019. During this initial visit, the Figueroas’ behavior seemed suspicious, prompting Desiree’s boyfriend to threaten to call the police if they intended to harm Ochoa-Lopez. The Figueroas dismissed the incident as an April Fool’s joke.

Three weeks later, Ochoa-Lopez returned to the Figueroas’ house. As she looked through a photo album, Clarisa allegedly strangled her with a cable. When Ochoa-Lopez managed to get her hands under the cable, Clarisa shouted at Desiree to assist her. Desiree removed Ochoa-Lopez’s fingers from the cable, and after a few minutes, the teenager stopped struggling. Clarisa then proceeded to cut open Ochoa-Lopez’s stomach, removed the baby, disposed of the teenager’s body in a trash can, and called 911 to report giving birth.

The baby, named Yovani Lopez after his father, was placed on life-support at Christ Hospital. However, he passed away several weeks later without ever leaving the hospital. Desiree Figueroa, who was pregnant at the time of the murder, gave birth six months later in November 2019.

This case bears similarities to a similar incident that took place in DuPage County nearly three decades ago. In 1995, Debra Evans and her two children were killed in their Addison apartment. Debra’s womb was slashed, and her nearly full-term son was removed. The baby, named Elijah, survived, while his brother Jordan was unharmed. Levern Ward, the father of Elijah and Jordan, is currently serving a life sentence for murder, along with Fedell Caffey and Jacqueline Williams, who wanted the unborn child.

Background Information

Marlen Ochoa-Lopez was a 19-year-old pregnant teenager who was tragically murdered in 2019. She had been in contact with Clarisa Figueroa, who offered her free baby clothes through a Facebook page for expectant mothers. Clarisa and her daughter, Desiree, had been planning the murder for weeks before successfully luring Ochoa-Lopez to their home. The Figueroas’ sinister plan involved strangling Ochoa-Lopez with a cable and removing her unborn child from her womb.

Daughter’s Guilty Plea and Testimony

Desiree Figueroa, the daughter of Clarisa Figueroa, has entered a guilty plea for the murder of Marlen Ochoa-Lopez. As part of her plea deal, Desiree has agreed to testify against her mother during the upcoming trial, which is set to begin on January 26. This crucial testimony will provide further evidence against Clarisa and shed light on the horrifying details of the crime.

Similar Incidents and Historical Context

The case of Marlen Ochoa-Lopez’s murder bears similarities to a tragic incident that occurred in DuPage County nearly three decades ago. In 1995, Debra Evans and her two children were killed in their Addison apartment. Debra’s unborn child was forcibly removed from her womb, resulting in the death of De.