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Mother, Daughter Used Coaxial Cable to Strangle Pregnant Teen: Authorities

The Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office said remains found in the 4100 block of West 77th Place were identified as those of Marlen Ochoa, missing since April 23

Warning: Details of this story are disturbing and may be difficult to read.

A mother and daughter were charged Thursday with strangling a pregnant Chicago teenager with a coaxial cable, authorities said.

Clarisa Figueroa, 46, and her daughter Desiree Figueroa, 24, of the 4100 block of 77th Place, were both charged with murder, authorities said. 

The boyfriend of Clarisa Figueroa, 40-year-old Piotr Bobak, was charged with concealing a homicidal death, police said.

The Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office said remains found in the 4100 block of West 77th Place were identified Wednesday as those of 19-year-old Marlen Ochoa. The office determined her cause of death was ligature strangulation and the death was ruled a homicide.

 Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson addresses the media after charges were filed against three people in connection with the murder of 19-year-old Marlen Ochoa. 

A somber Chicago police Supt. Eddie Johnson addressed reporters during a press conference Thursday.

"Words cannot really describe how disgusting, and thoroughly disturbing, these allegations are," he said. “I want to offer my sincere condolences and prayers to Marlen’s family, who instead of celebrating the arrival of new life into their family, are now mourning Marlen’s loss, while at the same time caring for a new baby that’s in grave condition.”

Authorities previously confirmed Ochoa's unborn baby was removed from her body.

"We believe that she was murdered and we believe that the baby was forcibly removed following that murder," Chicago police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said. 

Marlen Ochoa’s family is coming to grips with the murder of the 19-year-old mother, and NBC 5’s Michelle Relerford has the details on the case. 

Earlier in the day, Cecilia Garcia, a spokeswoman for Ochoa's family, said a newborn had been located and positively identified through DNA testing as Ochoa's child. Guglielmi said the baby remained hospitalized in "grave" condition. 

Ochoa's body was discovered after several people were taken into custody at the home, according to authorities.

"We believe all of them played some role in this unspeakable act of violence," Guglielmi said.

Ochoa's family said they believed she went to the home after a woman on Facebook said she had a stroller and baby clothes, according to the Chicago Tribune.

"It's a blessing that we found Yadiel, the baby, that's the name of the baby that Marlen had chosen," Garcia said at a news conference Wednesday, adding that the family was "preparing for the worst."

A spokesman for the Chicago Fire Department said that around 6 p.m. on April 23, paramedics responded to a call of a baby in distress in the 4100 block of West 77th Street in the Ashburn neighborhood on the city's Southwest Side. CFD said paramedics treated the newborn at the scene before taking the baby to Advocate Christ Medical Center in critical condition.

A May 9 press release announcing a search party for Ochoa, of the 6000 block of South Honore Street, in the Ashburn neighborhood said that Ochoa's car was found in that area, though Chicago police did not immediately confirm that information.

Ochoa, who has also been referred to as Marlen Ochoa-Lopez, Marlen Lopez and Marlen Ochoa-Uriostegui, was last seen leaving the Latino Youth High School in the Little Village neighborhood, where she had been taking classes, on April 23.

She was supposed to pick up her 3-year-old son from daycare that afternoon but her family said she never showed up. Ochoa was nine months pregnant with her second child when she was reported missing.

Garcia said family members said Ochoa had been communicating with someone in a Facebook group called "Help a Sista Out" and was planning to pick up items for her new baby.

Other women in the group sent messages to Ochoa's family showing screenshots of the conversation, which have been obtained by NBC 5. The group appears to have since been shut down on Facebook.

Chicago police issued a high-risk missing persons alert for Ochoa on April 27.

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