Riverside DA: Baby Emmanuel ‘severely abused’ over time, causing death
Jesus Reyes
RIVERSIDE, Calif. (KESQ) – A 7-month-old toddler presumed to have been killed by his parents in Cabazon was a victim of long-term abuse that led to his death, Riverside County District Attorney Mike Hestrin said Wednesday.
“We believe he was abused over time,” Hestrin said during a news briefing Wednesday in downtown Riverside. “We believe Emmanuel was severely abused … and because of the abuse, he succumbed to those injuries. That’s what we believe.”
Hestrin was joined by Sheriffs Chad Bianco and Shannon Dicus to provide an update on the case of missing 7- month-old toddler Emmanuel Haro..
Hestrin said murder charges filed Tuesday against Jake Mitchell Haro, 32, and Rebecca Renee Haro, 41, of Cabazon, in connection with the disappearance and presumed death of Emmanuel Haro reflect “our belief that baby Emmanuel was abused, a victim of child abuse, over time and that eventually because of that abuse, he succumbed to those injuries. That’s what we believe.”
The baby’s remains still have not been found, although Hestrin said investigators “have a pretty strong indication of where the remains of baby Emmanuel are,” although the search was continuing.
Investigators continue to search for Emmanuel’s remains.
A large search operation was underway Sunday along Highway 60 near Gilman Springs Road. Jake Haro was seen with investigators at the scene in a red jumpsuit. Officials tell News Channel 3 Emmanuel’s remains were not located during the search.
Jake and Rebecca Haro, Emmanuel’s parents, were officially charged with murder and making a false police report on Tuesday. Their arraignment was pushed back to Sept. 4, they remain in custody on $1 million bail.
Jake and Rebecca Haro were both arrested Friday morning at their home in Cabazon.
Emmanuel was originally reported missing on Thursday evening when Rebecca Haro said the baby was kidnapped after she was assaulted outside a store in Yucaipa while she was changing the baby’s diaper. She told police the attack rendered her unconscious, and when she awoke, the baby was gone.
An investigation began immediately and took a turn when authorities said Rebecca’s initial statement had inconsistencies. She then declined to continue with the police interview.
Last Tuesday, investigators seized Jake Haro’s vehicle for evidence processing.
Authorities said Friday they determined the kidnapping did not occur.
“Based on the evidence, investigators determined a kidnapping in Yucaipa did not occur. It is believed Emmanuel is deceased and the search to recover his remains is ongoing,” reads a statement by the SBCSD.
Hestrin said the baby’s death was preventable, blaming a failure in the criminal justice system that resulted in Jake Haro being sentenced to probation in a previous child abuse case involving his ex-wife and another infant.
Jake Haro was charged with counts including child abuse and child cruelty, and prosecutors were pushing for prison time in 2023, Hestrin said. But Haro wound up pleading straight up to the court to all charges,and the judge sentenced him only to probation and community service.
“My prosecutor in the courtroom objected to that and said on the record we object, we think it’s a prison case and you should send him to prison,” Hestrin said. “And the judge decided, as is the judge’s right to do, in that case, he decided that Mr. Haro deserved an extra break and gave him probation and basically 180 days of work release which ends up being like community service.”
Hestrin added, “I will say that it was an outrageous error in judgment by this judge. I don’t have any problem saying that. I’m not attacking the judge personally. That decision was absolutely outrageous. Mr. Haro should have been in prison at the time that this crime happened. If that judge had done his job as he should have done, Emmanuel would be alive today. And that’s a shame and it’s an outrage.”