Before Strangulation, a Plot to Steal a Baby
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C Questions? Call 1-800-Tribune Saturday, May 18, 2019 Breaking news at chicagotribune.com Lightfoot firms up council reorg plan New chairmen in works, but old guard not ignored, either By John Byrne and Bill Ruthhart Chicago Tribune Mayor-elect Lori Lightfoot will seek to shake up the City Council with new chairmen for several of the most important committees she needs to help pass her agenda, but she also will keep some of the old guard in place as she tries to put together the votes to pass the organization package in the first big test of her control over the body. Progressive Caucus chair- man Ald. Scott Waguespack, 32nd, an early Lightfoot backer, will take over as chairman of the powerful Finance Commit- tee. Lightfoot has been tele- graphing for weeks that she would reward Waguespack for his support with a top spot, JOHN J. KIM/CHICAGO TRIBUNE even though his outspoken Roselyn Lopez, 13, lays her head on her mother Minerva’s shoulder Friday during a prayer vigil at a memorial for Marlen Ochoa-Lopez in Chicago. positions on City Council eth- ics and transparency have at times rubbed colleagues the wrong way. Putting Waguespack atop Finance signals Lightfoot is serious about changing the way Before strangulation, the council does business, even if it rankles members not align- ed with her. But it remains to be seen whether her other moves go far enough to appease prog- ressive members of her coali- a plot to steal a baby tion who are looking to her to be a major change agent at City Hall. Lightfoot on Friday framed Prosecutors: Suspect faked her own pregnancy, strangled her plan as a blow to business as usual. “Look, the old guard, pregnant teen, cut infant from her womb, had 2 helpers some of them, aren’t happy. They have different conversa- By Megan Crepeau As her phony due date drew sitting atop her, took an agonizing tions with me, not surprisingly, Chicago Tribune near, prosecutors say, she and her four to five minutes to strangle 24-year-old daughter, Desiree, her with a cable, prosecutors Turn to Council, Page 2 Seven months ago, Cook plotted to kill a pregnant woman alleged. County prosecutors say, Clarisa to steal away her baby. After killing Ochoa-Lopez and Figueroa began an elaborate and On Friday, prosecutors laid out cutting her baby from her womb, ultimately deadly ruse. in grisly detail how the bizarre prosecutors said, Figueroa con- Then 45, she announced she plot led to the death of 19-year- tinued to claim the infant as her was pregnant — a surprise to her old Marlen Ochoa-Lopez and own, even seeking money on a Ohio State family who knew she had her severe brain injuries to her baby crowdfunding site for the boy, fallopian tubes tied. Over the next boy, who remains in grave condi- who was hospitalized in grave several months, she posted pho- tion. condition. knew of tos on Facebook of an ultrasound Ochoa-Lopez, a mother of a Calling the killing “brutal and and a decorated nursery, com- young child who was lured to the heinous,” Judge Susana Ortiz plete with a crib. She said she Southwest Side residence with a ordered Figueroa, her pregnant FAMILY PHOTO physician’s would name the baby Xander promise of new baby clothes, daughter and boyfriend, Piotr Ochoa-Lopez’s newborn baby after a 20-year-old son who died reached out and touched the nose boy at a local hospital, where he sex abuse last year. of the family dog as Figueroa, Turn to Pregnant, Page 4 was in grave condition Friday. School president says victimization of 177 males was ‘horrifying’ By Kantele Franko 36 years and Julie Carr Smyth Associated Press later, slain COLUMBUS, Ohio — A now-dead Ohio State team child still doctor sexually abused at least 177 male students over nearly inspires two decades, and numerous university officials got wind of Family, friends honor what was going on over the years but did little to stop him, Jeanine Nicarico with according to a report released Naperville activities by the school Friday. Dr. Richard Strauss groped or ogled men from 1979 to 1997 — nearly his entire time at Ohio State — while treating athletes from at least 16 sports and working at the student health center and his off-campus clinic, investigators from a law Heidi Stevens firm hired by the university Balancing Act found. “We are so sorry that this It’s been 36 years since happened,” Ohio State Presi- TERRENCE ANTONIO JAMES/CHICAGO TRIBUNE Jeanine Nicarico’s family dent Michael Drake said at a laughed and played and ar- news conference, using words gued and read and talked with like “shocking,” “horrifying” her. She was a 10-year-old girl Smiles and goodbyes with brown eyes and dimples Turn to Abuse, Page 2 and a soft spot for horses, and After two terms as mayor of Chicago, Rahm Emanuel rose from a political operative with a consumer then she was gone. Abducted from her home and murdered, rights organization to Democratic Party power broker. Under him, the city was busy with new setting off a decadeslong saga TOM SKILLING’S construction and landing new business, but also haunted by the Laquan McDonald shooting case. that included the wrongful convictions of two men, the WEATHER But at 5 p.m. on Friday, he stepped out of his City Hall office for the last time, pumping his fists and confession and conviction of High 85 giving thumbs-up signs on his way out the door. Story in Chicagoland, Page 3 an imprisoned serial killer and Low 64 court trials that, each time, dragged Jeanine’s family — Complete forecast particularly her parents and on back of Chicago Sports two older sisters — through the gruesome details and the $2.50 city and suburbs, TWO STARS, grieving process anew. $3.00 elsewhere For the past 18 years, Jea- 171st year No. 138 TWO SIDES, ONE GOAL nine’s family members and © Chicago Tribune their community of friends White Sox outfielder Eloy Jimenez and the and neighbors have organized Blue Jays third baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. an annual race, originally are two of the top young players in the majors. And they’re rooting each other on every step of the way. Chicago Sports AP PHOTOS Turn to Stevens, Page 4 2 Chicago Tribune | Section 1 | Saturday, May 18, 2019 personnel knew of com- Council Abuse plaints and concerns about Strauss’ conduct as early as Continued from Page 1 Continued from Page 1 1979 but failed for years to investigate or take mean- than they do with my staff. and “heartbreaking” to de- ingful action. But it should be no surprise scribe the findings. Drake, Ohio State presi- that I was going to shake He said there was a dent since 2014, said the things up,” she said. “I ran “consistent institutional report does not address on change, and I ran on not failure” that spanned years, whether anyone went to maintaining the status quo. adding that Ohio State — law enforcement at the “I also ran on my support the nation’s third-largest time of the abuse or was for having limits on com- university, with almost required to do so under the mittee chairmanships. 65,000 students and nearly law back then. Some of these people have a half-million living alumni In the wake of the re- been committee chairmen — “fell short of its responsi- port, some of Strauss’ vic- forever, and I think that in bility to its students, and tims called on the uni- order to reinvigorate the that’s regrettable and inex- versity to take responsibil- City Council and make it a cusable.” ity for its inaction and the much more responsive and At the same harm inflicted by nimble institution, we had time, Drake the doctor. to bring change. It wasn’t sought to dis- “Dreams were going to happen if we main- tance Ohio State broken, relation- tained the status quo. The from what hap- ships with loved status quo would have been JOSE M. OSORIO/CHICAGO TRIBUNE pened more than ones were dam- easy. They probably all Mayor-elect Lori Lightfoot will be sworn in as Chicago’s next mayor on Monday. two decades ago: aged, and the would have pledged alle- “This is not the harm now carries giance to the flag, but that’s As to how Austin re- said his focus on making who has been critical of university of to- over to our chil- not who I am and that’s not ceived her new role: “I sure women-owned and Lightfoot in recent weeks day.” dren as many of us what I’m about.” think she’s getting there.” Latino- and African Ameri- for not collaborating more The report on Strauss have become so Near South Side Ald. Pat A majority of the 50 can-owned businesses get a with aldermen since her Strauss, who took overprotective Dowell, 3rd, will take over aldermen must vote for her fair share of city work April 2 election. his own life in 2005, could that it strains the relation- running the council Budget council committee reor- makes him a good fit to take Beale has also taken a cost Ohio State dearly by ship with our kids,” Kent Committee that has long ganization plan at the May on economic issues and dim view of Waguespack as corroborating lawsuits Kilgore said in a statement. been veteran Ald. Carrie 29 meeting, or the proposal push the new mayor’s Finance chairman, saying brought against it by a Steve Estey, an attorney Austin’s bailiwick.