Haro Parents Formally Charged with Murder of 7-Month-Old Son; Authorities Alledge Extended Abuse

The Riverside County District Attorney's office held a press conference on Wednesday morning to update the public on the case of missing Cabazon infant Emmanuel Haro. 

Jake Mitchell Haro, 32, and Rebecca Haro, 41, were formally charged Tuesday with the murder of their 7-month-old son Emmanuel in a criminal complaint filed in Riverside County Superior Court.

In a press conference this morning, Riverside County District Attorney Michael Hestrin, along with Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco and San Bernardino County Sheriff Shannon Dicus, revealed that Emmanuel was a victim of abuse for an extended period of time, leading to his death.

The couple faces felony murder charges under California Penal Code Section 187(a) for allegedly killing the infant between August 5 and August 14, 2025, according to the complaint filed by District Attorney Hestrin. Both defendants also face misdemeanor charges for filing false police reports on August 14.

During Wednesday's press conference, Hestrin also criticized a judge who previously gave Jake Haro a lenient sentence in 2018 after he was charged with abusing another child of his, a daughter, marking an emotional moment in the proceedings as authorities detailed the pattern of abuse.

Emmanuel was reported missing on August 14th. The case initially involved reports of a possible kidnapping in Yucaipa from the parents, but investigators determined no abduction occurred after discovering inconsistencies during follow-up interviews with the parents.

The San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department arrested the couple last Friday, August 22,  and the investigation has since shifted from a missing person case to a homicide inquiry. Law enforcement officials seized property belonging to the defendants as part of the ongoing investigation.

Both defendants remain in custody with $1 million bail recommended for each. 

Wednesday's press conference marked the first time authorities publicly detailed the extent of abuse Emmanuel suffered before his death. The Riverside County Sheriff's Department and San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department continue the investigation and search for the infant's remains.