Author: KESQ

Garrett Hottle

RIVERSIDE, Calif. (KESQ) – Rebecca Haro appeared for a scheduled hearing in Riverside on Wednesday morning. The case related to the death of her 7-month-old son, Emmanuel.

Haro, 41, is still in custody at the Robert Presley Detention Center. She has pleaded not guilty to the charges related to Emmanuel’s death, which was caused by prolonged abuse, according to the investigation.

A felony settlement conference is a pretrial proceeding where the prosecution and defense counsel meet to determine if a case can be settled without a trial. A prelim date has not been set but the judge has ordered all parties to return to court on March 26th.

Her husband and co-defendant, Jake Mitchell Haro, pleaded guilty in October 2025. He received a sentence of 25 years to life in state prison and is currently incarcerated at California Men’s Colony in San Luis Obispo.

Despite the conviction, officials have said Emmanuel’s body has not been discovered.

Rebecca Haro was arrested in August 2025 and charged after the investigation into Emmanuel’s disappearance and death.

Neither the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office nor Haro’s attorney had any comment prior to the court appearance.

News Channel 3 will continue to keep you updated on this case.

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Julia Castro

INDIO, Cali. (KESQ) – A magnitude 4.2 earthquake struck near Indio early Wednesday, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

The quake hit at 12:30 a.m. local time about 12 miles north-northeast of Indio, the agency said. It was recorded at a depth of about 2.6 miles.

There were no immediate reports of major damage or injuries.

The earthquake follows a magnitude 4.9 quake that struck near Indio earlier in the week, which was followed by a series of aftershocks.

Officials urged residents to review emergency plans and ensure they have basic supplies on hand in case of a stronger quake.

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Joel Killam

DESERT HOT SPRINGS, Calif. – The Desert Hot Springs City Council approved salary increases for the mayor and councilmembers Tuesday night, marking the city’s first pay adjustment in six years. The council also appointed Dirk Voss as the new mayor pro tem.

The raises were approved unanimously and will return for a final reading and adoption on Feb. 3.

According to city documents, the mayor currently earns $1,429.28 per month, or $2,101.28 with phone and other allowances. Under the proposed increase, the mayor’s monthly salary would rise to $1,899.40, totaling $2,571.40 with allowances.

Councilmembers now receive $1,111.62 per month, or $1,783.62 with allowances. Their salary would increase to $1,632.01 per month, or $2,304.01 with allowances.

City leaders said the raises reflect the first adjustment since 2020 and are intended to align council compensation with a recent survey of Coachella Valley Cities and their base rates and allowances.

The final adoption of the salary changes is expected at the council’s next meeting.

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Jesus Reyes

DESERT HOT SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – A foster caregiver from Desert Hot Springs was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of multiple counts of sexually assaulting children, authorities announced.

Sergio Avalos Perez, 64, was arrested at around 5:30 p.m. on the 44000 block of Town Center Way. He was booked into the John Benoit Detention Center in Indio and faces several charges of sexual assault of a minor.

Perez remains in custody on $2,000000 bail. He is scheduled to appear in court on Friday.

According to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office, authorities began their investigation on Dec. 10 after allegations of child abuse were reported to Child Protective Services, in which all children had been removed from the home.

During the investigation, it was determined that a minor who was placed in foster care at the home had been sexually assaulted by the caregiver. Investigators identified several additional victims who were also sexually assaulted.

The Riverside County Sheriff’s Office believes there may be additional victims and encourages anyone with information regarding this investigation to contact Investigator Iniguez at the Palm Desert Sheriff’s Station at 760-836-1600.

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Jesus Reyes

INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) – A SIG Alert was issued after a crash on the Golf Center Parkway off-ramp from I-10 eastbound.

The crash was reported at around 7:30 p.m. According to the California Highway Patrol, the crash involved two vehicles. Police believe alcohol was a factor.

Two people were transported to the hospital with complaint of pain.

A SIG Alert was issued just before 8 p.m. closing the off-ramp, the California Highway Patrol announced. CHP said to expect delays in the area.

Stay with News Channel 3 for any updates.

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Jesus Reyes

THERMAL, Calif. (KESQ) – A group of Coachella Valley residents has filed a lawsuit against Riverside County to prevent the Thermal Ranch project, the Leadership Counsel for Justice and Accountability announced on Tuesday.

The Thermal Ranch project is a massive 619-acre development centered around a 231-acre luxury equestrian center that will provide a new, permanent home for the Desert International Horse Park.

It’s set to be located on Harrison Street and 62nd Avenue in Thermal, a couple of miles down the road from the horse park’s current location. It is 30% larger than the current horse park.

According to developers, the project will also include 110 custom estate homes, 161 single-family homes, 191 condominiums, workforce housing, an RV park, and a future phase consisting of a hotel, resort condominiums, and a retail/entertainment center.

Developers have said the project will exceed $1 billion. The Board of Supervisors approved the Thermal Ranch project in December.

Semillas de Resistencia, a community organization formed by Coachella residents in response to large-scale development projects in their region, has argued for years that the project will increase air pollution, and without requiring a detailed plan for safely handling 140,000 pounds of manure per day.

In their lawsuit, filed on January 16, the group alleges that the county violated environmental law by approving the project based on a flawed and misleading environmental review, putting nearby residents at risk of increased air pollution and unsafe manure management.

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The group is challenging the county’s certification of the Environmental Impact Report (EIR), saying that it “acknowledges significant and unavoidable harms to air quality and agricultural land, but rejects feasible mitigation measures to reduce these impacts and also relies on vague, shifting, and incomplete descriptions of key project operations.”

“The county did not take us or our experiences into account when making their decision; they did not consider the consequences it would have on us,” said a member of Semillas de Resistencia who lives near the proposed project. 

The Thermal Ranch project would also include new supporting infrastructure, including a 5-million gallon water reservoir and a new a 58-megavolt electrical substation. Developers said the project would need half of the water and 21 megavolts, the rest would be available for other uses.

Semillas de Resistencia argues that nearby communities and Polanco parks — most of which still lack access to reliable water and services — would not directly benefit from this investment. 

Other issues the group has highlighted include the project’s equestrian operations and management, including how animal waste, odors, air emissions, and potential groundwater contamination would be managed.

“Residents living near this project have a right to know that all necessary steps will be taken to protect the quality of the air they breathe and water they drink,” said Seth Alston, Staff Attorney with Leadership Counsel for Justice and Accountability, who is assisting with the lawsuit. “The environmental review of this project was deeply flawed and must be corrected.” 

Stay with News Channel 3 for continuing coverage.

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Garrett Hottle

INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) A magnitude 4.9 earthquake shook Indio Monday night, rattling residents across the Coachella Valley but causing no major damage or serious injuries — while also raising fresh questions about how California’s Earthquake Early Warning system works and why alerts reached some people before the shaking, but not others.

The quake struck near Indio Hills at 5:56 p.m., sending a brief but noticeable jolt through homes, businesses, and senior centers in the area.

“It was strong. And my husband, he has dementia. He was upstairs, so I got all scared,” Rosalva Gomez.

Others described a sudden, unsettling movement rather than prolonged shaking.

“My bed started shaking… and the dogs started barking,” Mary Ramirez said. “It was the first time I felt an earthquake here in the desert… it was scary,” Gloria Hernandez said.

The U.S. Geological Survey placed the epicenter along the San Andreas Fault — the major fault line that runs through the Coachella Valley. Local geologists say that stretch of the fault typically produces “strike-slip” earthquakes, meaning the ground moves sideways rather than up and down.

That motion is what residents felt Monday night.

Monday’s quake contrasted sharply with the 1994 Northridge earthquake, a magnitude 6.7 event that killed about 60 people and caused widespread structural damage and freeway collapses in Los Angeles. Unlike Monday’s strike-slip event, Northridge was a “blind thrust” earthquake — an upward-shoving rupture on a buried fault beneath the San Fernando Valley.

For many viewers, the bigger question Tuesday was not how the earth moved, but how their phones did.

Unlike in 1994, California now operates an Earthquake Early Warning system powered by ShakeAlert, designed to detect the first, lighter tremors of an earthquake and send alerts before stronger shaking arrives.

But those alerts do not reach everyone at the same time.

Derek Lambeth, program manager for Earthquake Early Warning at the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES), said the timing depends largely on distance from the epicenter.

“If you’re right at the epicenter, we can’t give you that heads-up… but if you’re farther out, we can give you up to tens of seconds to drop, cover, and hold on,” Lambeth said. lambeth

He stressed that even a few seconds can make a difference.

“You may not always get ten seconds, but you’d be amazed at how quickly you can react,” Lambeth said. “Seconds matter.” lambeth

Cal OES officials warned that aftershocks are common in the days following a quake of this size and urged residents to prepare in advance.

“Earthquakes are unpredictable,” Lambeth said. “The best thing people can do is sign up for alerts like the MyShake app, put together a go-kit, and have a plan for your family or workplace.”

You can find out more information including how to download the MyShake App, here.

To sign up for local alerts and find more information on preparedness and resources, visit  https://earthquake.ca.gov/ 

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Shay Lawson

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ)  – The city of Palm Springs is accelerating its push for affordable housing, with new projects moving forward this year.

Last week, the City Council approved 82-unit 100% affordable apartment units at 305 West San Rafael Drive.

Councilmembers also approving a request for financial assistance and loan commitment for development and construction of the San Rafael Apartments, a 115-unit affordable housing project.

Partner Darren Berberian, with developer Pacific West Communities, Inc., said the city’s support was critical.

“It was a huge deal,” Berberian said. “It’s not easy for the city to come up with these loans, the funding to make these projects happen. They’ve been fantastic to work with.”

Palm Springs Mayor Naomi Soto said affordable housing is a priority for the city.

“We put $3 million a year in our TOT revenue just for affordable housing,” Soto said. “We know we need to build housing to be able to attract the residents and the workers that our city really needs for a thriving economy.”

She said a third affordable housing project on Gene Autry is also in the pipeline, bringing at least 3 new projects this year.

The city has already opened 3 affordable housing developments in recent years including Vista Sunrise II, Monarch Apartments and Aloe Palm Canyon.

“We’ve heard a lot of great feedback on Aloe Palm Canyon, which is our most recent one that has opened,” Soto said.

Stay with News Channel 3 for the full report at 10 p.m. and 11 p.m.

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Jesus Reyes

THERMAL, Calif. (KESQ) – The Coachella Valley Unified School District placed a bus driver on administrative leave after allegations involving a student.

The district released a statement on Tuesday, which reads, “The District confirms that it is aware of allegations involving a District Bus Driver and a student. Upon becoming aware of the allegations, the District took immediate action by placing the employee on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation by the Riverside County District Attorney’s office.”

Additional details on the allegations were not available. The DA’s office told News Channel 3 that additional information was not available, but confirmed there have not been charges filed as of Tuesday.

Stay with News Channel 3 for continuing updates.

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Luis Avila

COACHELLA VALLEY, Calif. (KESQ) – A 4.9 Magnitude earthquake that struck north of Indio on Monday has left many residents shaken and is serving as a reminder of the importance of emergency preparedness.

According to the Coachella Valley Disaster Preparedness Network, residents should have a go-bag ready with at least two weeks’ worth of water, nonperishable food, hygiene supplies, extra clothing, and a flashlight. Officials warn that in the event of a major earthquake, first responders may not be able to reach the Coachella Valley immediately, as emergency resources could be prioritized in larger, more densely populated areas.

Residents are also encouraged to download the MyShake app, which provides early earthquake alerts. Even a few seconds of warning can help people take cover and reduce the risk of injury.

Officials stress that preparation now could make a critical difference when the next major earthquake strikes.

Stay with News Channel 3 for more.

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