Cabazon Mother Pleads Guilty in Death of Baby Emmanuel

Rebecca Haro, the mother accused of conspiring with her husband in the death of her 7-month-old son, Emannuel Haro, pleaded guilty Friday morning, just before her preliminary hearing was set to begin at the Riverside Hall of Justice.

Rebecca Renee Haro, 42, pleaded guilty before Judge Jerry C. Yang to three counts: child endangerment resulting in great bodily injury, voluntary manslaughter, and accessory after the fact to murder. As part of the plea agreement, prosecutors dismissed the original murder charge. Haro will serve 12 years and 8 months.

Her husband, Jake Mitchell Haro, pleaded guilty in October to second-degree murder and was sentenced to 32 years to life in state prison. Prosecutors had alleged Rebecca conspired with him in Emmanuel's death.

Emmanuel was reported missing last August from the 34000 block of Yucaipa Boulevard in Yucaipa. Rebecca Haro told investigators she had been knocked out near her vehicle while changing Emmanuel's diaper outside a Big 5 store, and that an unknown assailant fled with the child. Investigators say that forensic evidence from the crime scene and a large amount of surveillance video collected from areas of interest contradicted her account, though specific details of what that evidence showed have not been released. Emmanuel’s body has never been found.

Our NBC Palm Springs reporter, Brett Rosen, is at the Riverside Hall of Justice and will have the latest during our midday newscast, so stay tuned.