RIVERSIDE, Calif. – A California man pleaded guilty Thursday to torturing and killing his infant son, whose body has not yet been found.
Jake Haro, 32, wept as he pleaded guilty to all charges, including second-degree murder in the death of his 7-month-old son, Emmanuel Haro, in Riverside County. He also pleaded guilty to filing a false police report and to assault of a child under 8, resulting in great bodily injury and death.
Mother also charged in child’s death
What we know:
The baby’s mother, Rebecca Haro, who is Jake Haro’s wife, also faces murder charges in connection with her son’s death. She has pleaded not guilty.
The remains of baby Emmanuel have not been found, according to the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office.
Both parents were charged on Aug. 26.
False kidnapping report and inconsistencies
The backstory:
The Haros initially reported on Aug. 14 that their son had been kidnapped.
Investigators later determined that the alleged kidnapping never occurred. Authorities now believe Emmanuel died as early as Aug. 5, the last day detectives could confirm he was alive.
Rebecca Haro told investigators she had been attacked while changing Emmanuel’s diaper in the parking lot of a store in Yucaipa, in San Bernardino County. She claimed a stranger said “Hola” to her before everything “went blank.”
“I woke up on the floor, and my son was gone,” she said in a previous interview with FOX 11.
The couple appeared in several news reports pleading with the public for help in finding their son. Days later, investigators said the Haros stopped cooperating, citing inconsistencies in the mother’s story.
Authorities declined to elaborate on those discrepancies.
Arrests and search for Emmanuel’s remains
Dig deeper:
On Aug. 22, both parents were arrested at their home in Cabazon, about 90 miles east of Los Angeles, on suspicion of murder.
Authorities later searched the family’s home and nearby areas for the boy’s remains, including a search near a freeway while Jake Haro, in a jail jumpsuit, was there.
How do investigators believe Emmanuel Haro died?
Authorities believe Emmanuel Haro was abused over a period of time.Â
“Baby Emmanuel was abused and was the victim of child abuse over time and that eventually, because of that abuse, he succumbed to those injuries and that’s what we believe,” Riverside County District Attorney Mike Hestrin said previously.
When asked if the parents ever sought medical attention for baby Emmanuel, officials said they were unable to comment.Â
“This was preventable in numerous ways,” said Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco.Â
Jake Haro’s criminal history
Emmanuel’s father, Jake Haro, has a criminal history and court records show he was on probation at the time of his son’s disappearance in a separate child cruelty case back in 2018. In that case, his then 10-week-old daughter, whom he had with a different woman, was the victim.
“What you’re dealing with is an experienced child abuser,” Dicus said in part.
Haro’s daughter is still alive. However, the Riverside County District Attorney said she is “permanently bedridden. She has permanent damage that is a result of long-term child abuse.”Â
Sentencing and upcoming hearings
What’s next:
Jake Haro is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 3.
Rebecca Haro’s next court date is Oct. 28, with preliminary hearings also set to begin on Nov. 3.
The FOX 11 digital team contributed to this story.
The Source: The information for this story comes from the Riverside County District Attorney’s office and statements from authorities, including the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department. Additional details come from a FOX 11 interview with Rebecca Haro and previous reporting.