The parents of seven-month-old Emmanuel Haro, who they claimed was abducted during a diaper change in a California parking area, were apprehended on Friday and accused of his murder. This arrest came just one day after authorities initiated a separate child abuse investigation against them.

The Riverside County Sheriff’s Office is reportedly probing a child abuse case linked to Rebecca Haro, 41, and Jake Haro, 32. They are suspected of murdering Emmanuel and concealing his body, with authorities continuing to search for the child’s remains as of Sunday, according to local news. Riverside County Sheriff’s Lt. Deirdre Vickers informed The Orange County Register on Saturday night that deputies responded to a residence on the 23000 block of Cottonwood Avenue in Moreno Valley on Thursday afternoon, August 21, following a report of abuse associated with the Haros.

The couple reportedly has two other kids, including a 2-year-old. The youths are now in the custody of child protection services.

“Investigators responded to the location regarding the allegations, and the investigation remains ongoing,” Vickers told the Register.

The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department announced that the Haros were arrested on Friday after conducting “numerous interviews” with them; executing search warrants; collecting and meticulously examining digital and electronic evidence; and reviewing witness statements, all of which indicated that a kidnapping “did not occur,” as per officials.

Rebecca Haro allegedly informed investigators that she had been in Yucaipa at a football stadium with Emmanuel and her other children for youth football events before he vanished. She claimed to have visited a Big 5 Sporting Goods store to purchase a mouth guard for one of her other children when the alleged kidnapper attacked them and physically assaulted her, resulting in a bruised black eye visible in local media coverage.

The reported kidnapping triggered an extensive local search effort, with the national Uvalde Foundation, an organization assisting local law enforcement with independent searches for missing children through its “Lost Student Initiative,” participating alongside police to locate Emmanuel. However, as time passed, searchers and investigators began uncovering alleged “inconsistencies” in the mother’s narrative.

One of the biggest issues: an alleged “eyewitness report” that said the mother lied about the black eye she claims to have suffered during the kidnapping.

“We are receiving information that Emmanuel was not even reported to have been seen at the football game the mother alleged they were all at,” the Uvalde Foundation for Kids told Law&Crime last week after suspending its independent search for Emmanuel due to the alleged “inconsistencies.”

The group allegedly received “an eyewitness report that the mother’s apparent bruise acquired during the attack at the Big 5 was in fact acquired previous to the incident,” according to foundation officials. The group shared Facebook posts with Law&Crime on Monday showing purported workers at the Big 5 store who alleged that Haro didn’t have a child with her that day.

“It is believed Emmanuel is deceased and the search to recover his remains is ongoing,” the San Bernardino Sheriff’s Office said in a press release. “While these arrests mark a significant development, our focus remains on finding Emmanuel.”

SUSPECT 1: Jake Mitchell Haro, 32-years-old, Resident of Cabazon, CA

SUSPECT 2: Rebecca Renee Haro, 41-years-old, Resident of Cabazon, CA

VICTIM(S): Emmanuel Haro, seven-month-old Infant of Cabazon, CA

This investigation began on August 14, 2025, as a reported kidnapping at the… pic.twitter.com/u75jgrFKtz

— San Bernardino County Sheriff (@sbcountysheriff) August 22, 2025

Rebecca Haro claimed Emmanuel was taken on Aug. 14, at around 7:45 p.m., with deputies being dispatched to the Big 5 at 34579 Yucaipa Blvd around this time. “I got him out of the car seat, and I laid him down so I can get his diaper ready” she told local ABC affiliate KABC in a joint interview with Jake Haro, who has a prior criminal conviction for felony child cruelty.

“I was going to get the diaper and somebody said, ‘Hola,’ and I didn’t see nothing,” Rebecca said in another sit-down with Jake and The CW affiliate KTLA from the parking lot of the Big 5 where she claimed everything happened.

“I woke up right here on the floor, and I didn’t see Emmanuel,” Rebecca claimed. She told KABC, “As soon as I got up, I couldn’t find my son. I checked all around my truck. And I ran into Big 5, and I asked the lady if she saw a baby or someone with a baby. She said no.” Jake added, “He’s just a baby. Just give our son back, please.”

Police officials said that after further investigation, cops were “unable to rule out foul play” — causing the Haro’s to not cooperate anymore.

“We cannot in good conscience, utilize our team and resources when so much is missing in this case,” explained Uvalde Foundation founder Daniel Chapin in a statement last week before the Haro’s were arrested. “Of particular concern to us lies within the inconsistencies in the details and the sudden decision by the mother to end communication with law enforcement and our team.”

Chapin added, “Something is not right in this whole picture.”

Local court records show that Jake Haro was convicted in June 2023 of felony willful child cruelty in connection to a 2018 arrest in Hemet. He was sentenced to 180 days in jail and 48 months of probation, and is scheduled to appear at a Sept. 2 hearing for an alleged probation violation, KABC reports.

The Register reports that Jake was with a different spouse at the time, Vanessa Haro, who hospitalized her infant daughter with broken bones as a result of the abuse. Jake was ordered to attend a child abuser treatment program, the local newspaper reports. Vanessa Haro pleaded guilty and got 120 days in a work-release program.

Online records show the Haro’s were being held Sunday with no bail in Riverside County. The couple is scheduled to appear in court on Tuesday.