Yovanny Lopez, infant cut from murdered teen mom’s womb dies, ruled a homicide

Prosecutors are waiting for investigators to determine whether they’ll file new charges in the death of the newborn who authorities said was cut from his mother Marlen Ochoa-Lopez’s womb in April.

“It is with great sadness that we inform you of the passing of baby Yovanny Jadiel Lopez,” Lopez family spokeswoman Julie Contreras said in a statement on Facebook. “He passed away this Friday June 14, 2019 from his severe brain injury.”

“Please keep his family in your thoughts & prayers as they go through this difficult time,” she said.

A spokeswoman for the Cook County state’s attorney’s office said prosecutors will make a decision about new charges in the case after police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office finish their investigations.

An autopsy conducted by the medical examiner’s office Saturday said Yovanny Lopez died of “complications of anoxic encephalopathy, intrauterine hypoxia and maternal assault and demise.” His death was ruled a homicide.

Clarisa Figueroa, 46, and her daughter, Desiree Figuroa, 26, are accused of strangling Marlen Ochoa-Lopez and cutting Yovanny from her womb in their Scottsdale home.

The baby had been in the newborn intensive care unit at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn since the Figueroas brought the child to the hospital in April, shortly after killing the teenage mother, authorities said.

Lopez’s family was hoping for a miracle despite a grim prognosis from doctors as well as stiffer charges for the Figueroas for damage done to the newborn.

The baby’s funeral will be held privately for family, Contreras said.