Authorities investigating the disappearance and suspected death of 7-month-old Emmanuel Haro stated on Wednesday that they suspect the infant endured a prolonged period of abuse before succumbing to his injuries.
Riverside County District Attorney Michael Hestrin announced at a news conference that investigators have “a pretty strong indication of where the remains of baby Emmanuel are.”
“We believe that Emmanuel was severely abused over a period of time,” Hestrin said. “Both parents would have been aware of that abuse.”
Rebecca and Jake Haro have been charged with murder and filing a false report in the baby’s case, as CrimeOnline reported. Rebecca Haro alleged that she was knocked unconscious in a sporting goods store parking lot on August 14, and the baby was missing when she awoke. Both Haros made public pleas for help in finding the missing child.
Investigators quickly found “inconsistencies” in her story, and they were arrested last week. Formal charges were filed on Tuesday.
While Hestrin and the sheriffs of Riverside and San Bernardino Counties refrained from providing a specific timeline for the baby’s death, investigators had earlier suggested that the infant likely died between August 5 and August 14.
Over the weekend, Jake Haro was seen with search teams in Moreno Valley. San Bernardino County Sheriff Shannon Dikus did not divulge details but noted that there had been “some level of cooperation” from the defendants, guiding investigators to that location.
Investigators did not find the child during that search, but Hestrin said that they are still out looking.
Hestrin and Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco also discussed a previous child abuse case involving Jake Haro. He and his ex-wife had been charged with child abuse in a 2018 case where his daughter suffered severe abuse, leaving her “permanently bedridden,” according to Hestrin.
The girl, also an infant, suffered an acute rib fracture and multiple healing rib fractures, a partial skull fracture, a brain hemorrhage, and a healing leg fracture.
Hestrin said his office argued for a prison sentence, but Haro “pled straight up to the court,” essentially throwing himself “on the mercy of the court.” And, he said, the judge gave him a break, sentencing him to probation.
“It was an outrageous error in judgement for this judge,” Hestrin said. “Mr. Haro should have been in prison at the time that this crime [baby Emmanuel] happened.”
“This was preventable in numerous ways,” Bianco said.”Had that case been successfully handled the way it should have been handled, Emmanuel would absolutely be with us today.”
Hestrin also said that a report that Haro had confessed to a fake inmate that he killed the baby were untrue. “There was no confession,” he said.
While investigators stressed “some level of cooperation” from the Haros, Rebecca Haro, as recently as Sunday, was sticking to her story about a kidnapping in interviews.
The Haros are due in court again on September 4.
