The parents of missing baby Emmanuel Haro were in court on Thursday to enter not guilty pleas to murder charges.
Rebecca Haro’s lawyer proposed shifting the trial to the Banning Justice Center, which is roughly 40 miles from Riverside, as reported by the Press-Enterprise. Superior Court Judge Gary Polk instructed him to formally submit a motion for that request.
Last month, Rebecca Haro, 41, and Jake Haro, 32, were charged with the murder of their infant son Emmanuel and submitting a false report, according to CrimeOnline. Riverside County District Attorney Michael Hestrin remarked at a news briefing that detectives suspect Emmanuel endured severe abuse over time.
“Both parents would have been aware of that abuse,” he said.
In a detailed jailhouse discussion with the Orange County Register, Jake Haro refuted those allegations, maintaining his wife’s innocence while refusing to assert the same about himself. He suggested their arrest was linked to his earlier admission of guilt in a child abuse case that left his baby girl unable to leave her bed.
On August 14, the Haros reported their 7-month-old son Emmanuel missing. Rebecca Haro claimed that during a diaper change, an unseen assailant knocked her out and took the baby. In raw and heartfelt interviews following Emmanuel’s disappearance, she issued tearful appeals for assistance to locate him.
But investigators soon found “inconsistencies” in her stories, leading to the murder charges as well as a charge of filing a false police report.
The Haros have court-appointed legal counsel, two of whom previously defended David and Louise Turpin, who faced numerous child abuse convictions in 2019.
In January 2018, the Turpins’ 13 children were liberated from their Perris, California home after their then-17-year-old daughter acquired a phone and sought help, as documented by CrimeOnline. The young ones were discovered in a “foul-smelling” residence, many confined by chains to filthy beds. The Turpins received 25-year prison sentences.
Allison Lowe, now representing Jake Haro, represented David Turpin, the Press-Enterprise said. Jeff Moore, who represented Louise Turpin, is now representing Rebecca Haro.
The Haros have a preliminary hearing set for September 17. They’re being held on $1 million bails each.
