Topline: The father of 7-month-old Emmanuel Haro was sentenced in Riverside County Superior Court after pleading guilty to second-degree murder and child assault
Published: November 4, 2025 4:00 pm ET
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Left: Jake Haro (via AP) Right: Emmanuel Haro (via San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Office)
RIVERSIDE, CA — On November 3, a Southern California father received a prison sentence of more than 30 years after he pleaded guilty to killing his seven-month-old son.
Jake Haro, 32, was sentenced in Riverside County Superior Court for the second-degree murder of his son, Emmanuel, and for a prior child assault conviction.
Haro pleaded guilty last month, according to a statement from the Riverside County District Attorney’s office. The sentencing followed a monthslong investigation that failed to locate the child’s remains.
Haro and his wife, Rebecca, reported the baby kidnapped in August. The couple claimed the baby was taken outside a store in Southern California.
Rebecca Haro said she was attacked and left unconscious while changing the boy’s diaper. The case drew widespread attention as authorities and members of the public searched for the boy.
Authorities became suspicious after Rebecca Haro, 41, was confronted about inconsistencies in the couple’s story.
The couple were arrested just over a week later. The arrest occurred at their home in the desert community of Cabazon, located about 20 miles west of Palm Springs.
Riverside County Superior Court Judge Gary Polk sentenced Haro to seven years and two months in prison for a probation violation and other charges, according to the Press-Enterprise.
Haro then received 25 years to life for assault on a child under age eight. The sentences will run consecutively, meaning they are served one after the other. Haro was also ordered to pay $10,000 in restitution.
Prosecutors with the Riverside County District Attorney’s office had requested Haro be sentenced to 31 years to life in prison for killing Emmanuel and for assaulting another child in 2018.
Haro previously pleaded guilty to child endangerment for causing severe and lasting injuries to his then-10-month-old daughter. For that conviction, Haro was given a six-year suspended prison term that prosecutors said should now be applied to his sentence.
Rebecca Haro has pleaded not guilty to charges related to the case. She is being held on $1 million bail. She is due to appear in court in January.
As per CNN, Brandon Smith, assistant district attorney in Riverside County, wrote about the case in court filings.
“Jake Haro murdered seven-month-old Emmanuel but, in reality, he comes before this court having taken the lives of two young children,” Smith wrote. “If there are lower forms of evil in this world, I am not aware of them.”
While Jake Haro serves his sentence, the search for the remains of seven-month-old Emmanuel Haro continues. His wife, Rebecca Haro, awaits trial on related charges. The case remains open as authorities seek full closure for the child’s disappearance and death.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
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Jake Haro Sentenced to More Than 30 Years for Infant Son’s Death
The father of 7-month-old Emmanuel Haro was sentenced in Riverside County Superior Court after pleading guilty to second-degree murder and child assault
By Kate Byrd
Published: November 4, 2025 4:00 pm ET
Left: Jake Haro (via AP) Right: Emmanuel Haro (via San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Office)
RIVERSIDE, CA — On November 3, a Southern California father received a prison sentence of more than 30 years after he pleaded guilty to killing his seven-month-old son.
Jake Haro, 32, was sentenced in Riverside County Superior Court for the second-degree murder of his son, Emmanuel, and for a prior child assault conviction.
Haro pleaded guilty last month, according to a statement from the Riverside County District Attorney’s office. The sentencing followed a monthslong investigation that failed to locate the child’s remains.
Haro and his wife, Rebecca, reported the baby kidnapped in August. The couple claimed the baby was taken outside a store in Southern California.
Rebecca Haro said she was attacked and left unconscious while changing the boy’s diaper. The case drew widespread attention as authorities and members of the public searched for the boy.
Authorities became suspicious after Rebecca Haro, 41, was confronted about inconsistencies in the couple’s story.
The couple were arrested just over a week later. The arrest occurred at their home in the desert community of Cabazon, located about 20 miles west of Palm Springs.
Riverside County Superior Court Judge Gary Polk sentenced Haro to seven years and two months in prison for a probation violation and other charges, according to the Press-Enterprise.
Haro then received 25 years to life for assault on a child under age eight. The sentences will run consecutively, meaning they are served one after the other. Haro was also ordered to pay $10,000 in restitution.
Prosecutors with the Riverside County District Attorney’s office had requested Haro be sentenced to 31 years to life in prison for killing Emmanuel and for assaulting another child in 2018.
Haro previously pleaded guilty to child endangerment for causing severe and lasting injuries to his then-10-month-old daughter. For that conviction, Haro was given a six-year suspended prison term that prosecutors said should now be applied to his sentence.
Rebecca Haro has pleaded not guilty to charges related to the case. She is being held on $1 million bail. She is due to appear in court in January.
As per CNN, Brandon Smith, assistant district attorney in Riverside County, wrote about the case in court filings.
“Jake Haro murdered seven-month-old Emmanuel but, in reality, he comes before this court having taken the lives of two young children,” Smith wrote. “If there are lower forms of evil in this world, I am not aware of them.”
While Jake Haro serves his sentence, the search for the remains of seven-month-old Emmanuel Haro continues. His wife, Rebecca Haro, awaits trial on related charges. The case remains open as authorities seek full closure for the child’s disappearance and death.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
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Editor Picks
Latest Articles
Jake Haro Sentenced to More Than 30 Years for Infant Son’s Death
The father of 7-month-old Emmanuel Haro was sentenced in Riverside County Superior Court after pleading guilty to second-degree murder and child assault
By Kate Byrd
Published: November 4, 2025 4:00 pm ET
Left: Jake Haro (via AP) Right: Emmanuel Haro (via San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Office)
RIVERSIDE, CA — On November 3, a Southern California father received a prison sentence of more than 30 years after he pleaded guilty to killing his seven-month-old son.
Jake Haro, 32, was sentenced in Riverside County Superior Court for the second-degree murder of his son, Emmanuel, and for a prior child assault conviction.
Haro pleaded guilty last month, according to a statement from the Riverside County District Attorney’s office. The sentencing followed a monthslong investigation that failed to locate the child’s remains.
Haro and his wife, Rebecca, reported the baby kidnapped in August. The couple claimed the baby was taken outside a store in Southern California.
Rebecca Haro said she was attacked and left unconscious while changing the boy’s diaper. The case drew widespread attention as authorities and members of the public searched for the boy.
Authorities became suspicious after Rebecca Haro, 41, was confronted about inconsistencies in the couple’s story.
The couple were arrested just over a week later. The arrest occurred at their home in the desert community of Cabazon, located about 20 miles west of Palm Springs.
Riverside County Superior Court Judge Gary Polk sentenced Haro to seven years and two months in prison for a probation violation and other charges, according to the Press-Enterprise.
Haro then received 25 years to life for assault on a child under age eight. The sentences will run consecutively, meaning they are served one after the other. Haro was also ordered to pay $10,000 in restitution.
Prosecutors with the Riverside County District Attorney’s office had requested Haro be sentenced to 31 years to life in prison for killing Emmanuel and for assaulting another child in 2018.
Haro previously pleaded guilty to child endangerment for causing severe and lasting injuries to his then-10-month-old daughter. For that conviction, Haro was given a six-year suspended prison term that prosecutors said should now be applied to his sentence.
Rebecca Haro has pleaded not guilty to charges related to the case. She is being held on $1 million bail. She is due to appear in court in January.
As per CNN, Brandon Smith, assistant district attorney in Riverside County, wrote about the case in court filings.
“Jake Haro murdered seven-month-old Emmanuel but, in reality, he comes before this court having taken the lives of two young children,” Smith wrote. “If there are lower forms of evil in this world, I am not aware of them.”
While Jake Haro serves his sentence, the search for the remains of seven-month-old Emmanuel Haro continues. His wife, Rebecca Haro, awaits trial on related charges. The case remains open as authorities seek full closure for the child’s disappearance and death.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
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