Lawsuit Accuses Riverside County Social Services of Failing to Protect Child Before Infant’s Death

A new lawsuit accuses Riverside County’s Department of Public Social Services of failing to protect two young children from alleged abuse before the death of 7-month-old Emanuel Haro.

Attorneys representing Emmanuel Haro’s 3-year-old sister filed claims alleging county social workers missed multiple opportunities to intervene despite warning signs involving the family. The lawsuit claims social workers failed to follow their own policies and did not properly assess the risk to the children.

According to the allegations, the investigation followed a visit where deputies found an unsecured firearm at the family’s home, along with information about the father’s previous child cruelty conviction. Attorneys say social workers underestimated the potential danger, closed the case without court oversight and failed to take additional protective action.

The lawsuit was filed on behalf of Emanuel Haro’s 3-year-old sister and alleges the county’s actions contributed to circumstances that led to Emmanuel’s death.

In an emailed statement, attorneys with Booth Law, the firm that also represented families in the Turpin case, said their goal is to seek justice for their young client while bringing attention to what they describe as failures within the Riverside County Department of Public Social Services.

“Our purpose in bringing this case is to seek justice for our 3-year-old client but also to shine a light on a tragic failure by the Riverside Department of Public Social Services,” the statement said. “They performed a perfunctory, inadequate investigation and did nothing to protect Jake Haro’s new baby. This was a tragedy that was preventable.”

The allegations in the lawsuit have not been proven in court. Riverside County officials were contacted for comment but have not yet provided a response.

NBC Palm Springs will continue to follow developments as more information becomes available.

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