In the latest baby Emmanuel Haro update, the case has taken a grim turn.
Parents arrested after week-long search
The parents of seven-month-old Emmanuel, who has been missing for more than a week, have been arrested and charged with murder. Authorities in California confirmed the arrests on Friday, 22 August 2025.
The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department revealed that Emmanuel’s parents, Jake and Rebecca Haro, were taken into custody at their home in Cabazon. Just two days earlier, the couple had been seen leaving Riverside Superior Juvenile Courts, where they had appeared in a separate matter.
Baby Emmanuel was first reported missing on 14 August 2025 at 19:47 local time (15 August at 04:47. SAST). According to the initial report from his mother, Rebecca Haro, she claimed she had been attacked outside a retail store on Yucaipa Boulevard.
She told deputies that while she was changing her son’s diaper next to her vehicle, an unknown man assaulted her and she lost consciousness.
When she regained consciousness, Emmanuel was gone.
Early investigation raised doubts
From the start, investigators noticed problems with the story. Rebecca’s statements contained inconsistencies, which raised suspicion. The sheriff’s office said that when she was confronted about the contradictions, she chose not to continue the interview.
Search teams used scent-tracking dogs and combed through areas in Yucaipa and Cabazon but found no sign of Emmanuel. Authorities also served several search warrants at the Haro family home and reviewed a large amount of surveillance footage from nearby businesses and streets.
Despite the doubts surrounding them, both parents made emotional appeals for Emmanuel’s safe return. In an interview with ABC’s Los Angeles affiliate, KABC, Rebecca Haro described her son as a “happy boy” and begged for him to be returned.
“Please don’t hurt my son. Give him back to me,” she pleaded.
Jake Haro also appealed for help, saying: “Whoever took our son, please bring him back.”
During the investigation, it emerged that Jake Haro has a criminal record. According to KABC, he previously pleaded guilty in 2018 to a charge of willful cruelty to a child.
His attorney recently told ABC News that he was “fully cooperating with law enforcement and investigators.” However, authorities have since seized his vehicle as part of their evidence collection.
As of Friday’s announcement, both Jake and Rebecca Haro face murder charges. The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department has confirmed that the investigation is ongoing and that Emmanuel has still not been located.
In a statement, officials said:
“Investigators will continue their search for seven-month-old Emmanuel Haro.”
At this stage, no additional details about the parents’ arrests or possible evidence have been released.