Parents charged with murder of missing infant after kidnapping story falls apart

The parents of a missing 7-month-old Southern California child have been arrested on suspicion of murder after the child was falsely reported kidnapped, authorities said Friday. 

Jake Haro, 32, and Rebecca Haro, 41, were taken into custody at their home in Cabazon, 90 miles east of Los Angeles, the San Bernardino Sheriff’s Department said. The agency added that it would continue the ongoing search for Emmanuel Haro. 

“The circumstances surrounding this investigation are tragic, and we will continue to search for Emmanuel,” San Bernardino County Sheriff Shannon Dicus said. “I trust our justice system will hold the parents accountable.”

The child was reported missing on Aug. 14. His mother told investigators that she took her children to football practice with her husband before stopping at a Big 5 Sporting Goods store in Yucaipa to buy a mouthguard.

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Rebecca Haro said she was attacked while changing Emmanuel’s diaper in the parking lot, authorities said. She claimed that someone said “Hola” to her, after which everything “went blank.”

“I woke up on the floor and my son was gone,” she said in an interview last week with FOX Los Angeles. 

Authorities said there was no security footage in the area at the time of the incident and that an Amber Alert was not issued due to the lack of suspect or vehicle descriptions, which did not meet the criteria for activation.

Over the weekend, investigators said the couple had stopped cooperating, adding that there were “inconsistencies” in the mother’s story.

“Multiple individuals, including the child’s parents, Jake and Rebecca Haro, were interviewed,” the department stated. “During questioning, inconsistencies were noted in Rebecca’s original statement, after which she chose not to continue the interview.”

After conducting “numerous” interviews and analyzing digital and electronic evidence, investigators determined a kidnapping never happened. 

“It is believed Emmauel is deceased and the search to recover his remains is ongoing,” the sheriff’s office said. 

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Footage posted to social media by the sheriff’s department shows both parents being led away from their home in handcuffs into law enforcement vehicles. 

Fox News Digital has reached out to Vincent Hughes, an attorney for Jake Haro.

Jake Haro previously pleaded guilty to child cruelty charges in Riverside County in a separate case in 2018, Fox Los Angeles reported. 

At the time of Friday’s arrest, he was on probation after he was convicted of those charges and jailed in 2023. 

“He did not serve in state prison for four years as being reported. He reached that deal through a plea agreement,” Hughes said. “He acknowledged his role in that situation and there was more than one person convicted.” 

The case immediately drew attention from advocacy groups, including the Uvalde Foundation for Kids, which initially offered a $5,000 reward for Emmanuel’s recovery. However, less than a day later, the foundation withdrew its support.

In a statement, the foundation said it was “cautiously optimistic” that news of Friday’s arrests “illustrates the tenacity and dedication” of investigators to find answers. 

“Our foundation has suspected foul play from the very beginning and will now be reassessing how we might provide support and aide to the community at this time,” the foundation said in a statement. “First and foremost the focus will be on recovering Emmanuel. He deserves at least that much …”

In another statement, Daniel Chapin, founder of the Uvalde Foundation For Kids, called for a full investigation into Emmanuel’s disappearance, including his grandmother. 

“The grandmother’s involvement, or lack thereof, must be fully examined,” Chapin said. “We are calling on law enforcement to investigate every possible angle and person connected to this tragedy. The community deserves answers, and this precious child deserves justice. We will continue to advocate for Emmanuel until every person responsible is held accountable.”