A mother and daughter accused of killing a pregnant Chicago teen and cutting her baby from her womb have been charged with murder in the infant's death.
Clarisa Figueroa, 46, and daughter Desiree, 24, had previously been charged with first-degree murder and aggravated battery in the April death of 19-year-old Marlen Ochoa-Lopez. On Thursday, they were charged with additional counts in the baby's death, NBC Chicago reported, citing the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office.
The women have pleaded not guilty.
Authorities have said the women lured Ochoa-Lopez to their home on April 23, strangled her and then removed her baby.
The child, Yovanny Jadiel Lopez, survived, but in June, a family spokesperson announced that he had died from a severe brain injury.
The announcement of the new murder charges was made Thursday shortly before a hearing in which the judge ruled the women would continue to be held without bond, the Associated Press reported.
Clarisa Figueroa's 40-year-old boyfriend, Piotr Bobak, has been charged with concealing the murder.
He has also pleaded not guilty.
Court documents say that after the killing, Clarisa Figueroa called 911 and said she delivered the baby on her own and it was not breathing. They were then transported to a hospital, according to the records.
Ochoa-Lopez's body was found in a trash can at the Figueroa's can along with a cable that officials said the women used to strangle her, according to the court documents.
Authorities have said they suspect that Clarisa Figueroa intended on raising Ochoa-Lopez's baby as her own after her 20-year-old son died of natural causes.
They were arrested in May, after a search warrant was executed on their home and the body was found, according to court documents. The documents indicated that Desiree Figueroa made a full confession that was recorded on video.
Bobak's lawyer, Hal Garfinkel, has said that he is innocent and that they look forward to their day in court, NBC Chicago reported.
