Missing baby Emmanuel Haro was murdered? Parents of 7-month old arrested in surprising twist

The parents of hero Emmanuel Haro have been arrested on suspicion of murder. The arrest comes a week after the child's mother reported that he had been kidnapped outside an Inland Empire sporting goods store, according to authorities.

The San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department said Friday morning in an email that both Jake and Rebecca Haro had been arrested. However, the police did not provide information about why they were taken into custody.

In a post on X, the agency said the parents were arrested on suspicion of murder Friday morning at their residence in Cabazon, located about 90 miles east of Los Angeles. The department said it is continuing to search for Emmanuel.


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Emmanuel Haro's mysterious disappearance

It's been more than a week since 7-month-old Emmanuel Haro was first reported missing and allegedly kidnapped from the Big 5 parking lot in Yucaipa. Haro's mother Rebecca reported her son's kidnapping in a California parking lot at 7:47 p.m. on August 14 with investigators announcing that they cannot rule out foul play following "inconsistencies" found in Rebecca's testimony.

"Deputies in Yucaipa were dispatched to a retail business after Rebecca Haro reported that while she stood outside her vehicle, changing her child's diaper, she was physically assaulted by an unknown male and rendered unconscious," the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department shared in an Aug. 16 press release. "When she awoke, her 7-month-old infant, Emmanuel Haro, was gone."

On Friday, authorities were conducting an operation at the family's home in Cabazon, an unincorporated community in Riverside County roughly 20 miles west of Palm Springs. The San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department confirmed Emmanuel's parents, Jake and Rebecca, were arrested for murder. Earlier this week, a car belonging to the baby's father was seized by authorities.

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On Wednesday, the sheriff's department issued a statement in an update on the search. "We know the community is deeply concerned about this case and we will continue to provide information, to the extent it does not jeopardize the investigation," the agency said. "Our investigators have followed up on the reported sightings of 7-month-old Emmanuel Haro, but he has not yet been located.

"While Emmanuel’s father has retained an attorney, if the parents choose to work with detectives, we welcome their cooperation as we continue efforts to locate Emmanuel."

The statement also mentioned a fire reports at a property near the Haros' home in Cabazon, saying there is no indication the fire is related to the disappearance of Emmanuel.

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Emmanuel Haro kidnapping

The investigation has unfolded over the past week, beginning with the reported kidnapping last Thursday in the parking lot of a Big 5 sporting goods store. “I took him out of the car seat and laid him on the chair. I had his diapers here, and someone said, ‘Hola.’ I couldn’t turn, and I don’t remember nothing. I got up from the floor and didn’t see my child. Someone took him from me,” mother Rebecca Haro said last week.

According to the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department, Rebecca Haro was “confronted with inconsistencies in her initial statement and declined to continue with the interview."

According to law enforcement, Jake Haro was convicted in 2021 for cruelty to a child and in 2024 for being a felon in possession of a handgun. The couple also has a 2-year-old child, who has since been taken into custody by Riverside County Child Protective Services, according to the Sheriff’s Department. Anyone with information on the case is urged to contact the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department at 909-387-8313.