Body of woman, 19, who was 9 months pregnant is found in Chicago, authorities say
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Cook County Medical Examiner's Office said Marlen Ochoa-Lopez died of ligature strangulation; her death has been ruled a homicide. (Google Maps / Chicago Police Department)
A body found on Chicago's Southwest Side has been identified as that a 19-year-old woman who was nine months pregnant when she vanished three weeks ago, according to reports.
The Cook County Medical Examiner's Office said Marlen Ochoa-Lopez died of ligature strangulation; her death has been ruled a homicide, WLS reported.
Fox 32 reported her baby had been cut out of her.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The news outlet also tweeted a photo of her husband, in tears, who had come with her family to view the body.
Her family said she'd gone to a house of a person found through a Facebook group over some baby items.
"She was giving clothes away, supposedly under the pretenses that her daughters had been given clothes and they had all these extra boy clothes, and that's where the false pretenses that I believe led her to that house," said family spokesperson Cicilia Garcia, WLS reported.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Authorities said three persons of interest are in police custody.
WLS said the baby was found, and is in critical condition at Christ Hospital.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"The grandma was telling me that the baby is beautiful, but the baby is in critical condition. We're praying. She's like: 'I believe in miracles, I don't believe what the doctors tell me,'" said Garcia.
"Our faith moves us. We are hopeful, but we are prepared for the worst. We just ask the public to please keep us in their prayers, especially the family."