CHICAGO – The baby of slain Chicago teen Marlen Ochoa-Lopez has passed away after weeks of being on life support.
Baby Yovanny Jadiel Lopez passed away Friday morning, according to a statement from family spokeswoman Julie Contreras. He was in intensive care with severe brain damage since arriving to the hospital.
“It is with great sadness that we inform you of the passing of baby Yovanny Jadiel Lopez,” the statement reads. “He passed away this Friday June 14, 2019 from his severe brain injury.”
Ochoa-Lopez disappeared in April, and was later found murdered, the baby cut from her womb.
Clarissa Figueroa and her daughter Desiree Figueroa were formally charged Wednesday with first-degree murder for killing the 19-year-old pregnant mother, according to WGN.
Figueroa’s boyfriend Piotr Bobak is charged with covering up the death. Bobak hired private attorney Hal Garfinkel, who claims Bobak is innocent of all charges.
Frank Avila, the attorney for Ochoa-Lopez’s husband Yovani Lopez, called for the Cook County State’s Attorney to bring more charges against the three for causing severe brain damage to Baby Yovanny, who doctors said was deprived of oxygen when his mother was strangled.
The baby’s funeral will be a private event for family only.
In a photo released last month by the family, the baby is seen being held by his father, Yovany Lopez. The picture, taken by a student pastor, shows the baby attached to various tubes and apparently asleep in his father’s arms.
Around the time the photo was taken, the baby opened his eyes.
“We were just praying and praying and he opened his eyes, and his dad said, ‘Oh my God, he opened his eyes!'” Cecilia Garcia, a student pastor who was assisting the family, told CNN at the time.
