Humanity took a big hit when Desiree Figueroa, a 29 year old woman, pled guilty in assisting her mother in a first-degree murder. She stood in a Cook County Courtroom as she admitted to the heinous crime. Desiree and her mother Clarissa were accused of murdering a pregnant teen girl by strangling her and then tearing her unborn baby from her womb. Desiree pled guilty and admitted to testify against her mother on the trial and was given a deal of 30 year long prison sentence.
Unsuspecting victim lured by the hopes of free clothes for the baby
In 2019, Desiree and Clarisa were set on committing one of the most violent criminal acts. They invited a 19 year old teen girl to their Southside home. The victim, Ochia-Lopez, was heavily pregnant at that time and she was lured to her murder spot by Clarisa as she offered her free clothes for her unborn baby. An unsuspecting Ochia stepped into the house where the mother-daughter duo strangled her with a wire. One pried off the struggling victim’s fingers off the strangulating wire as the other went in the kitchen to bring out a knife. Just before the victim passed away, Clarisa cut open her abdomen and tore out the unborn baby boy. Later they dumped the body in a garbage can outside their home.
The accused mother-daughter duo
The truth behind the crime
Police eventually found the body after Ochia-Lopez was reported to be missing for days. As they began questioning all leads indicated to Desiree and Clarisa. Upon further investigation, the police got to know that Clarisa had recently lost her adult son to death. Not being able to move on from the grief, the lady was desperate to mother another child. Neighbors informed that Clarisa declared herself to be pregnant just after the death of her son. As nine months passed Clarisa got worried about acquiring a baby by any means. She began searching on Facebook and started joining the group of expectant mothers. There she came across the profile of the victim and started to communicate with her.
The victim
Baby also met an unfortunate fate
The baby that was torn from her mother’s womb succumbed to death just after two months of its birth. The baby was taken to Cook County Medical room under critical condition where he struggled quite a bit for his life. The medical examiners affirmed that the baby died due to lack of oxygen to its brain and heart and a prolapse of placenta and umbilical cord when his mother was assaulted. Clarissa and her daughter wanted to raise the baby as their own. They were the one to call 911 after the baby was born. They informed the police that the baby was born when the mother was already struggling to breathe.
The trial for Clarisa will start on 26 th January. The common people are hoping for justice to prevail. Their condolences go out to the young girl who suffered a lot through the most sensitive stage of her life. Citizens claim that the violent nature of the crime had shocked society to the core and such an incident should not go overlooked or ignored. People had arranged for several memorials and candle march vigils for the deceased victim and they continue to remember her as the sweet girl she once was.
