Emmanuel Haro’s father admitted to killing missing baby and dumping him in trash can
Authorities in Riverside County, California say 7-month-old Emmanuel Haro died following prolonged abuse by his parents — and that his father, Jake Haro, was tricked into confessing during an undercover jail operation.
According to a report by NewsNation’s Brian Entin, investigators placed an undercover inmate near Haro in jail, who prompted Haro to admit he killed the infant and disposed of the body in a trash can. Haro later changed his story, telling detectives he accidentally suffocated Emmanuel by rolling over him in bed and then buried his body near a freeway.
District Attorney Michael Hestrin said Wednesday that investigators are confident the child died due to repeated physical abuse. “We believe baby Emmanuel was subject to abuse over time, and because of that abuse, he succumbed to his injuries,” Hestrin said. “We have a pretty strong indication of where the remains of baby Emmanuel are.”
Emmanuel was first reported missing on August 14, when Rebecca Haro, his mother, told police a stranger attacked her outside a Big 5 Sporting Goods store in San Bernardino and abducted the baby during a diaper change. However, detectives noted inconsistencies in both parents’ accounts and arrested them days later.
Authorities now believe Emmanuel may have been dead for weeks before the alleged kidnapping was reported.
Investigators also attempted to use an undercover inmate operation with Rebecca Haro, but she reportedly maintained her original story.
The Haros face murder charges. Prosecutors noted Jake Haro’s prior child abuse conviction from 2023, involving his daughter from a previous relationship. In that case, the child suffered a fractured skull, broken ribs, and permanent injuries, but Haro avoided prison time — a decision DA Hestrin criticized as “outrageous.”
The couple has two other children: a 2-year-old daughter, now in the custody of child protective services, and a 16-year-old stepson.
Law enforcement confirmed they are investigating a separate child abuse report filed on the day Emmanuel was reported missing, involving a home in Moreno Valley near the sporting goods store. Authorities say the Haros are connected to that case, but no further details were released.
Emmanuel’s body has not yet been located. The Haros’ arraignment, originally scheduled for Tuesday, has been postponed until next week.
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