Rebecca and Jake Haro have been charged with murder in connection with the disappearance of their 7-month-old son, Emmanuel. Authorities now confirm that the infant was never kidnapped.
The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department (SBCSD) announced the couple’s arrests on Friday, Aug. 22, noting that both were booked in a Riverside County jail without bail. No additional arrests have been made, and no other suspects have been identified.
Rebecca, 32, initially reported Emmanuel missing on Thursday, Aug. 14, claiming that an attacker struck her and took her baby outside a local store.
However, the SBCSD stated on Friday, Aug. 22, that evidence—including multiple interviews, search warrants, and detailed digital and electronic analysis—indicates that the reported kidnapping did not occur.
“It is believed Emmanuel is deceased and the search to recover his remains is ongoing,” the SBCSD said. “These arrests mark a significant development, our focus remains on finding Emmanuel.”
Sheriff Shannon Dicus added, “The circumstances surrounding this investigation are tragic and we will continue to search for Emmanuel. I trust our justice system will hold the parents accountable.”
The investigation began when Rebecca reported Emmanuel missing on Aug. 14. According to KTLA, she said she and Jake were at a local park with their three children for their son’s football practice that day. She then drove to a Big 5 Sporting Goods store to buy a mouthguard for Emmanuel and took him with her. Rebecca claimed she was setting him up to change when she heard someone say “hola” and then lost consciousness.
When she regained awareness, she said the baby was gone. Authorities noted that she appeared to have a black eye when speaking to the media.
Over the following weekend, investigators observed inconsistencies in her account. According to the SBSD’s Sunday, Aug. 17, statement, “Rebecca was confronted with inconsistencies in her initial statement and declined to continue with the interview.”
In 2023, Jake was convicted of child cruelty after a 10-week-old girl was treated for broken bones in October 2018, reports The Orange County Register, citing court documents. He pleaded guilty to willful child cruelty in June 2023 and received a 180-day sentence in the sheriff’s work-release program, a suspended four-year prison sentence, and was ordered to attend a child abuse treatment program.
Jake was also scheduled to appear in court on Sept. 2 on an unrelated charge of being a felon or addict in possession of a firearm, according to the Register.
