What began as a desperate search for a missing baby in Southern California has now taken a chilling turn. Authorities in Riverside County announced that the parents of 7-month-old Emmanuel Haro have been formally charged in connection with his disappearance, E! News reports. The development comes less than two weeks after the child was first reported missing, sparking widespread concern and emotional pleas from his family.
The case drew attention on August 14, when Rebecca Haro told investigators her infant son had been kidnapped from the parking lot of a Big 5 Sporting Goods store in Yucaipa.
In her initial statement to the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Office, the 41-year-old mother claimed she had been changing Emmanuel’s diaper when she was suddenly struck unconscious by an unknown attacker. When she regained consciousness, she said, the baby was gone. Tearful appeals soon followed, with Rebecca begging for her son’s safe return as investigators combed the area, PEOPLE reported.
But behind the scenes, detectives said suspicions were mounting. As deputies questioned the couple, they noticed glaring inconsistencies in Rebecca’s account of what happened that day. Instead of cooperating, officials said, the parents grew increasingly evasive. Within days, the investigation shifted dramatically. By late August, authorities announced they were no longer treating Emmanuel’s case as a disappearance, but as a homicide. Both parents, Rebecca and her husband, 32-year-old Jake Haro, were arrested and charged with first-degree murder, as well as making a false police report, according to The Sun. Court records show both are being held on $1 million bail.
The disturbing case is further complicated by Jake Haro’s troubled history with the law. In 2018, he was accused of violently injuring his then-10-week-old daughter from a previous relationship. Doctors found the infant had suffered a brain hemorrhage, multiple broken ribs, a cervical spine injury, retinal bleeding, and seizures, per the Los Angeles Times. Medical experts later concluded that the explanation Jake provided (that he had dropped her in the sink while bathing her) was inconsistent with the severity and scope of her injuries, which they described as “indicative of abuse head trauma, child physical abuse and nutritional neglect.”
Despite the grim findings, Jake was able to strike a plea deal in 2023. He admitted to a reduced charge of willful child neglect and avoided prison time, receiving a suspended sentence of six years and probation instead. However, less than a year later he faced fresh legal trouble after allegedly being caught with a firearm, a violation of his probation terms. That case was expected to go to trial later this year, though prosecutors now acknowledge the timeline may change in light of his latest arrest.
As for the current case, investigators say the evidence points to Emmanuel’s death, though the infant’s body has not been publicly recovered. Both Jake and Rebecca maintain their innocence, and as of now neither has an attorney listed in court filings. Meanwhile, the community that once rallied in hopes of finding the baby is left grappling with the devastating possibility that the child never left the care of his parents alive.