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Body of missing pregnant teen found with unborn child cut out of womb

The remains of a missing 19-year-old pregnant woman have been discovered in a garbage can in a residential area.

The body was identified as Chicago woman Marlen Ochoa-Lopez. She was nine months pregnant when she was reported missing three weeks ago.

The Cook County Medical Examiner's Office ruled the cause of death was strangulation and Chicago police say her baby was cut from her womb after she was killed.

According to her family, Ms Ochoa-Lopez had planned to meet with a woman she had been messaging on Facebook who had offered to give her a stroller and other baby goods on April 23.

ABC 7 reported that on the same day multiple residents near where Ms Ochoa-Lopez’s body was discovered, claimed they had seen an older woman distressed, holding a newborn baby wrapped in a towel and screaming that she had just given birth to a baby that wasn’t breathing.

Marlen Ochoa-Lopez, pictured, was nine months pregnant when she was murdered. Source: Facebook/Cecilia Garcia
Ms Ochoa-Lopez had planned to meet with a woman who had offered to give her a stroller. Source: Facebook/Cecilia Garcia

Chicago fire officials confirmed that firefighters responded to an address for a baby in distress, the baby was rushed to a nearby hospital and remains in critical condition.

On Wednesday, a family spokesperson said after detectives were able to do a DNA test, they were able to confirm the baby taken to the hospital in April is Ms Ochoa-Lopez's child.

Chicago police said two men and two women were taken for questioning from the home where the baby was removed and from near where Ms Ochoa-Lopez's remains were discovered.

Three of those people remain in custody.

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