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/ Updated
By Doha Madani
A 19-year-old Chicago woman who was pregnant when she went missing in late April has been found murdered. The announcement of her death comes the same day it was confirmed her baby, presumed to have been delivered after her disappearance, was found alive.
The newborn was found when paramedics responded to a call of a baby in distress on April 23, the same day Marlen Ochoa went missing after arranging to pick up baby clothes from someone she met in a Facebook group, according to NBC Chicago.
A family spokeswoman told reporters Wednesday that DNA was used to confirm the child was Ochoa’s.
The Cook County Medical Examiner’s officer confirmed to NBC News that a body found near where the baby was found by paramedics was positively identified as Ochoa. The medical examiner ruled the death was a homicide caused by strangulation.
“It’s a blessing that we found Yadiel, the baby, that’s the name of the baby that Marlen had chosen,” Cecilia Garcia said, according to NBC Chicago.
Ochoa was nine months pregnant when she went missing and seemingly went into labor after she was last seen leaving the Latino Youth High School, where she had been taking classes.
Garcia said Ochoa had arranged to pick up baby clothes on the day of her disappearance, plans made through a Facebook group called “Help A Sista Out.”
Ochoa was supposed to pick up her 3-year-old son from daycare later that afternoon, but her family said she never showed up, NBC Chicago reported.
Chicago police told NBC News in a statement Wednesday that it was conducting interviews of individuals connected to the missing persons case but could not give further comment.