Updates are continuing to emerge from the case of Marlen Ochoa-Lopez, the 19-year-old Chicago teen who was murdered and had her baby cut from her womb.
Horrifying details of her cause of death have been released, three suspects have been arrested, and the world is holding its breath to see whether or not her newborn son will survive his injuries.
Lopez was a wife and already a mother of a three-year-old when she was reported missing on April 23rd.
She never showed up to pick her son up from daycare , which was very unlike her according to those who knew her best.
In a span of three months, Lopez joined two other young, pregnant women of color who had gone missing from Chicago’s south side.
She was found strangled to death in this Chicago home.
A 911 call was made from the home by a 46-year-old woman, claiming that her newborn baby was not breathing.
When first responders arrived, a shocking discovery was made.
DNA tests later proved that the baby was indeed Lopez’s, and was cut out of her womb shortly after she was murdered.
The events leading up to the murder were highly orchestrated.
Allegedly, Lopez was lured to the home by a suspect posing as a mother selling baby clothes in a new mother’s Facebook group.
Lopez’s family was taken to the medical examiners office to identify the body.
Her family and friends are grieving the loss of a young woman who cared deeply for her child, her schooling, and her community.
Two suspects have been charged with first degree murder.
Clarisa Figueroa and her daughter Desiree are the alleged perpetrators.
Clarisa’s boyfriend Piotr Bobak has been charged with concealing murder.
Clarisa herself has been identified as the suspect who made the 911 call, and her daughter allegedly helped strangle Lopez.
As the baby was ripped out before its due date, he understandably has a lot of medical issues.
Before Lopez’s body was found, the suspects had posted a GoFundMe to help with the medical expenses of “their” ill baby.
After being found by police, baby Yavani Yadiel Lopez was put on life support.
He is being treated at the Advocate Christ Medical Centre, and was described last week as having “very little brain function.”
Lopez’s husband released a statement to the press regarding his son’s recovery.
“We plead to God that he gives us our child because that is a blessing that my wife left for us,” he stated.
“I have a lot of faith that the baby is going to live.”
He explained that despite the child’s horrifying start to life, there must be a reason that they were able to find him before it was too late.
“I’m positive that God is going to give me that miracle” he said.
Though it looked as though Yavani may not survive, he has miraculously begun to recover.
A relative of Lopez’s snapped this photo of Lopez’s husband and son together in the moments after the child opened his eyes for the first time.
Lopez’s funeral will be held Saturday at the mount auburn funeral home in Stickney, Illinois.
There will be three days of visitation open to the public: Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.
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It’s hard to say whether or not the baby will regain enough strength to leave the hospital soon.
I’m sure I speak for everyone who has been keeping updated with this situation when I say that I sincerely hope that Lopez’s baby is able to recover and live a happy, normal life, despite his horrific start.
h/t: WFLA