177: Absolutely Barbaric: Pregnant Teen Goes Missing and Her Friends Discover the Truth on Social Media!
In this episode of SERIALously, the tragic case of Marlin, a young pregnant woman who vanished on her way to pick up her son, is examined. The summary delves into the delayed police response, influenced by a lack of Spanish-speaking detectives and alleged racism, that stalled the investigation into Marlin's disappearance.
As the events unravel, the episode summary reveals the harrowing discovery of an abandoned newborn and the eventual arrest of Clarissa Figueroa and her daughter Desiree. Clarissa had lured and murdered Marlin, cutting her baby from her womb in a depraved act of violence that also led to the death of Marlin's newborn son. The episode presents the heartbreaking conclusion of this disturbing case.
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1-Page Summary
Marlin's disappearance and the police response
Marlin, a young pregnant Mexican woman, went missing on her way to pick up her son Joshua from daycare while having contractions. As reported by Annie Elise, the police were reluctant to file a missing persons report for 24 hours and waited 3 days to open a criminal case, despite the urgency. They failed to assign Spanish-speaking detectives, complicating communication with Marlin's family who believed racism influenced the lackluster response.
Discovery of the abandoned newborn and investigation progress
Two weeks after Marlin's disappearance, an abandoned newborn was found in a dumpster, prompting hope it could be Marlin's baby. DNA tests revealed it wasn't, dashing the family's hopes. Marlin's car, ticketed multiple times since her disappearance, was located but not thoroughly investigated as connected to her case until much later.
Arrest and prosecution of Marlin's murderers
Marlin's friends provided information about her online interactions with Clarissa Figueroa, who had faked pregnancy. Clarissa lured and murdered Marlin, cutting her baby from her womb. Her daughter Desiree, initially reluctant, assisted and received 30 years after testifying against Clarissa, who got 50 years.
Tragic fate of Marlin's newborn son
Marlin's son Giovanni suffered brain damage from oxygen deprivation after the crude C-section by Clarissa. Despite efforts, he did not survive, devastating Marlin's husband Yovani who lost his wife and newborn son.
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Actionables
- You can enhance your personal safety by setting up a check-in system with friends or family when you have important appointments or are in potentially vulnerable situations. For example, if you're going to pick up a child or attend a meeting, let someone know where you'll be and when you expect to return. This creates a safety net, so if you don't check in, they can take immediate action.
- Improve communication with non-English speakers in your community by learning basic phrases in their language or using translation apps during interactions. This can be particularly helpful in emergency situations or when offering assistance. By doing so, you bridge the communication gap and foster a more inclusive environment.
- Advocate for better community safety by participating in neighborhood watch programs or using social media to share information about suspicious activities. If you notice something unusual, like an abandoned vehicle that could be connected to a crime, report it to the authorities with as much detail as possible. Your vigilance could be crucial in preventing or solving a crime.
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Marlin's disappearance and the police response
The case of Marlin’s disappearance raises serious concerns about the initial police response to a young pregnant Mexican woman going missing under urgent circumstances.
Marlin, a young pregnant Mexican woman, went missing on her way to pick up her son from daycare while having contractions.
Marlin, eight and a half months pregnant, left school seeming a bit off and did not arrive to pick up her son Joshua from daycare, despite being in the early stages of labor and having no changes to her plans communicated. Her husband, Yovani, was informed by the daycare at 6 p.m. that Joshua had not been picked up, which was highly uncharacteristic of Marlin.
The police were initially reluctant to take the missing persons report seriously, waiting 24 hours before even allowing the family to file it.
Annie Elise reports that the police did not suspect foul play in Marlin's disappearance and made the family wait 24 hours to file a missing persons report. After a full day, Yovani contacted the police again, and they filed the report. However, it took three days since her disappearance for the police to open a criminal file, despite the urgent situation of a nearly full-term pregnant woman who vanished during contractions and was due to pick up her son.
The police failed to thoroughly investigate Marlin's disappearance, not opening a criminal case for three days and not assigning any Spanish-speaking detectives to the case despite the family's language barrier.
When the Chicago Police Department notified Marlin's family of her death, they did not provide a Spanish-speaking officer initially, causing a communication barrier. The detectives did not assign Spanish-speaking detectives to her family's case, despite their limited English proficiency, which further complicated their ability to stay informed and participate in the investigation.
Marlin's family believed her ...
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Marlin's disappearance and the police response
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Actionables
- You can educate yourself on the proper procedures for filing a missing person report by contacting your local law enforcement and requesting information on their protocols, ensuring you know your rights and the expected response times in such situations.
- Understanding the standard operating procedures of your local police can prepare you to advocate effectively if you or someone you know ever faces a similar situation. For example, if you learn that your local department has a 24-hour waiting period before filing a missing person report, you can prepare documentation and evidence to present as soon as the waiting period is over to expedite the process.
- You can volunteer to be a community liaison who helps non-English speaking families communicate with law enforcement during investigations.
- By offering translation services or working with local organizations that provide such support, you can bridge the communication gap that may exist between law enforcement and non-English speaking communities. This could involve creating a volunteer group that works with the police to ensure language services are available when needed, or even just being on call to assist families like Marlin's in times of crisis.
- You can start a conversation with friends and fam ...
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Discovery of the abandoned newborn and investigation progress
The mysterious case of Marlen Ochoa Lopez took a dramatic turn when an abandoned newborn baby was found, leading to both hope and disappointment for her family, and tying into the broader investigation of Marlen's whereabouts.
Shortly after Marlen's disappearance, an abandoned newborn baby was found in a dumpster, prompting hope that it could be Marlen's son.
About two weeks after Marlen Ochoa Lopez vanished, a newborn baby was found abandoned on a street in Chicago. In the search for parking, a woman heard a faint whimper from an alleyway, discovering the child, still with umbilical cord attached, wrapped in a beach towel inside a dumpster. Despite the cold weather at 49 degrees Fahrenheit, the baby was quickly taken to a fire station, where CPR was administered due to a lapse in breathing. The infant was in critical condition but later stabilized after receiving medical care.
With the family of Marlen—her parents, grandparents, and husband —still searching for her, they clung to hope that Marlen had been kidnapped while pregnant and that the baby could be hers. The baby’s discovery near the area where Marlen was last seen fueled speculation that if Marlen had been forced to give birth, the perpetrator might have abandoned the newborn.
DNA tests revealed the baby was not Marlen's, disappointing the family and leaving them with no leads on her whereabouts.
DNA testing dashed the family's hopes, proving that the abandoned infant was not Marlen's child. This crushing news returned her family to a state of despair, as no additional leads on Marlen’s location emerged from the finding.
The police later located Marlen's car, which had received multiple parking tickets, but found no sign of her in the vehicle.
The police discovered Marlen's black Honda Civic abandoned on a city street one day after the baby was found. The vehicle had accumulated three separate parking tickets since the day Marlen disappeared, yet there w ...
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Discovery of the abandoned newborn and investigation progress
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Actionables
- You can increase awareness about the importance of safe haven laws by sharing information on social media about how these laws work and where babies can be safely surrendered. This could involve creating a simple infographic that explains the steps a person can take if they are unable to care for a newborn, including the locations of safe haven sites like hospitals or fire stations.
- Consider taking a basic first aid course that includes infant CPR and emergency care to be prepared to help in situations where a child's life is at risk. Knowing how to stabilize a baby in critical condition could be lifesaving, and you can encourage friends and family to join you in this training.
- Start a community initiative to fund and distribute emergency con ...
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Arrest and prosecution of Marlin's murderers, Clarissa and Desiree Figueroa
The story of Marlin's tragic death unfolds as details emerge about her murderers, Clarissa and Desiree Figueroa, not only leading to their arrest but also their prosecution.
Marlin's friends discovered her online interactions
Marlene became acquainted with Clarissa Figueroa through Facebook groups for new and expecting mothers. Clarissa had faked her own pregnancy and enticed Marlene with the offer of free baby clothes. The police were led to Clarissa after Marlene's friends handed over information regarding her interaction with Clarissa, including their meeting setup during the time Marlene disappeared.
Clarissa's deception and murder of Marlene
When Clarissa Figueroa lured Marlene to her house, she attempted to involve her daughter Desiree in the murder. Initially, Desiree resisted and informed her boyfriend of Clarissa's plan. The boyfriend threatened to call the police, allowing Marlene to leave unharmed after the first visit. However, when Marlene returned on April 23rd believing she was there to receive baby clothes, she was alone with Clarissa and Desiree. During this visit, Marlene was distracted by Desiree with a photo album while Clarissa strangled her. Clarissa was found with blood on her but lacked signs typical of childbirth.
Involvement of Desiree Figueroa
Desiree Figueroa was also charged with Marlin's murder for her role in assisting her mother in the killing. Initially against the idea, Desiree was coerced into participating and eventually accepted a plea deal to testify against her mother in exchange for a reduced sentence of 30 years.
Conviction and sentencing
Clarissa changed her plea to guilty after realizing her defense, of pleading not guilty for reasons of insanity, was not tenable. After detecting inconsistencies like Clarissa’s lack of childbirth signs despite her claim and Desiree’s confession, detectives connected the dots from the online interactions, fake pregnancy, a ...
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Arrest and prosecution of Marlin's murderers, Clarissa and Desiree Figueroa
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Actionables
- You can enhance your personal safety by setting up a buddy system with friends when meeting new people from online interactions. Explain to a trusted friend or family member where you're going, who you're meeting, and share any pertinent information about the encounter. If possible, arrange for them to check in with you at a specific time.
- Develop critical thinking skills to recognize and avoid potentially dangerous situations by practicing scenario-based analysis. Regularly take time to assess different situations you hear about, like the one in the podcast, and think through how you would respond to ensure your safety. This could involve identifying red flags in communications or understanding when an offer seems too good to be true.
- Encourage open family communication to prev ...
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Tragic fate of Marlin's newborn son
Marlin's newborn son, Giovanni, suffered a grave fate after being cut from his mother's womb by Clarissa.
Marlin's newborn son, named Giovanni, was cut from her womb by Clarissa and suffered severe brain damage due to oxygen deprivation.
Giovanni was nearly a month old when he was discovered in the hospital, functionally brain dead and on life support. Clarissa, who had initially passed off Giovanni as her own child and named him Xander after her deceased adult son, had carelessly placed him in a bucket immediately after cutting him from Marlin's womb. The baby came out blue and not breathing, leading to serious brain damage due to the amateur C-section and lack of oxygen.
Despite being hooked up to breathing machines and occasional positive signs such as breathing without a machine, it was unclear if Giovanni would ever be able to get off life support. Unfortunately, he ultimately did not survive.
Marlin's husband, Yovani, was devastated to have lost both his wife and infant son due to this senseless tragedy.
The family's lawyer stated that Marlin's husband, Yovani, was engulfed in grief not only for the loss of his wife but also for holding his baby son in his arms as he passed away. The anguish was compounded as Yovani had to face raising his surviving son Joshua alone.
The family channeled their sorro ...
Here’s what you’ll find in our full summary
Tragic fate of Marlin's newborn son
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Clarifications
- The timeline of events surrounding Giovanni's discovery in the hospital is not exp ...
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