UPDATE: Just hours ago, California prosecutors charged the parents of missing infant Emmanuel Haro with murder in a shocking turn of events. Jake Haro, 32, and Rebecca Haro, 41, are set for arraignment this afternoon in Riverside County on one count each of murder with malice, alongside a misdemeanor charge for making a false police report.
The couple claimed their son vanished from a parking lot outside a sporting goods store on August 14, yet authorities now assert that the Haros faked the child’s disappearance. Emmanuel, just 7 months old, is presumed dead, prompting Riverside County prosecutors to seek a staggering $1 million bail for the couple.
According to investigators from the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Office, inconsistencies in Rebecca’s initial statement raised red flags. She alleged she was attacked while changing Emmanuel’s diaper, but when confronted with details, she ceased cooperation with authorities. The couple was arrested at their home in Cabazon on Friday, and search teams are intensifying their efforts to locate Emmanuel’s remains, focusing on an isolated field in Moreno Valley.
This heartbreaking case has captivated true crime enthusiasts as it unfolds. While the couple maintains their innocence, troubling history has emerged: Jake Haro was previously convicted of child abuse in 2023 and was on probation at the time of his latest arrest. Court records indicate he was found guilty of willful cruelty to a child after his daughter suffered severe injuries in 2018.
In the wake of Emmanuel’s disappearance, Riverside County child protective services removed a 2-year-old child from the Haro home, though officials are tight-lipped about the reasons behind this decision due to confidentiality laws.
Rebecca Haro, in a desperate plea from custody, expressed her resolve not to give up on finding her son:
“I will not give up. I will not give up on my baby,”
she told a reporter from the Southern California News Group. She urges the public to aid in the search.
As investigations continue, Emmanuel’s parents have surrendered their phones and allowed searches of their home and vehicle. However, after ceasing to cooperate, their attorney, Vincent Hughes, insists that their silence was misinterpreted, claiming Rebecca merely refused to take a polygraph test.
Authorities are racing against time to uncover the truth in this tragic case, which has sent shockwaves through the community. Stay tuned for updates as this story develops.
