UPDATE: California prosecutors have charged the parents of missing infant Emmanuel Haro with murder, just twelve days after they reported him missing from a parking lot. Jake Haro, 32, and Rebecca Haro, 41, are scheduled to be arraigned this afternoon in Riverside County on one count each of murder with malice, in addition to a misdemeanor charge of making a false police report.
Authorities are seeking to set bail at $1 million amid claims from investigators that the couple fabricated their son’s disappearance. Tragically, the 7-month-old is now presumed dead. The couple initially reported that Rebecca was attacked while changing Emmanuel’s diaper on August 14 outside a Big 5 store in Yucaipa. However, inconsistencies in her statement led San Bernardino County Sheriff’s investigators to question her credibility, prompting her to cease cooperation.
The parents were arrested at their home in Cabazon last Friday. In a disturbing turn, search teams, accompanied by Jake Haro, scoured an isolated field in Moreno Valley over the weekend but found no evidence of Emmanuel’s remains. The search is ongoing, and authorities are urging the public to assist in locating the infant.
This case has drawn significant media attention and public interest, particularly due to Jake Haro’s troubling past. He was convicted of child abuse in 2023 involving his daughter, who suffered severe injuries, including head trauma and multiple fractures. This history raises serious concerns about the Haro family’s safety, leading Riverside County child protective services to remove another child from their home following Emmanuel’s disappearance.
While the couple maintains their innocence, Rebecca Haro has expressed her anguish and determination to find her son. “I will not give up. I will not give up on my baby,” she stated to a reporter while in custody, pleading for help in the search.
In a further development, the Haros surrendered their phones and allowed searches of their home and vehicle. However, when investigators reported the couple had stopped cooperating, their attorney, Vincent Hughes, contested this, clarifying that Rebecca had only declined to take a polygraph test.
As the investigation unfolds, the urgency to locate Emmanuel intensifies. Search efforts and legal proceedings will continue to be closely monitored, with authorities emphasizing the importance of community assistance in this heartbreaking case. Stay tuned for further updates on this developing story.
