Posted March 23, 2026
When Rebecca Haro called the police on August 14, 2025, she told a harrowing tale.
The Big 5 store where Rebecca Haro claims Baby Emmanuel was kidnapped (Doug Kari)
Rebecca claimed that while she was in the parking lot of a Big 5 Sporting Goods store in Yucaipa, California, changing the diaper of her baby Emmanuel Haro, a man approached from behind, said “Hola,” and knocked her unconscious.
Haro said when she awoke, the Spanish-speaking attacker had vanished along with seven-month-old Emmanuel.
Rebecca and Jake’s TV interview seemed staged (KTLA 5)
Rebecca and her husband Jake Haro didn’t just tell this tale to the police – they went on TV and pleaded for Baby Emmanuel’s return.
People gathered outside the Haros’ desert home, demanding answers (Doug Kari)
But people in the community cast doubt on Rebecca’s story, and the police weren’t buying it either.
Rebecca’s demeanor seemed like bad acting and, more importantly, her kidnapping story wasn’t supported by surveillance video or eyewitness accounts.
Baby Emmanuel lived a short and tragic life (San Bernardino Co. Sheriff)
Soon damning information emerged that Jake Haro was out on bail when Baby Emmanuel disappeared, after Jake battered and permanently injured his ten-month-old daughter Carolina.
Police arrested the Haro’s on murder charges (San Bernardino Co. Sheriff)
With their cover story crumbling, Jake and Rebecca Haro were arrested and charged with murder.
In October 2025, Jake stunned observers when he threw himself on the mercy of the court and pleaded guilty to second-degree murder.
Jake Haro is serving time at a medium security prison in the Central Valley (KGET)
In November a judge sentenced Jake to 25-years-to-life. The convicted baby killer has begun serving his sentence at Wasco State Prison northwest of Bakersfield.
Even though Jake admitted that the kidnapping story was a ruse, Rebecca has continued to insist that she told the truth to the police and the public.
My prediction is that Rebecca will soon change her story (LA Times)
But how long will Rebecca stick to a story that’s phony as a three-dollar bill?
As the murder case against Rebecca moves forward, the safe bet is that she’ll either claim mental disability or try to blame Jake – or both.
Most people outside the Haro house, which may have been the crime scene, asked the same question (Doug Kari)
Meanwhile, we still don’t know how exactly Baby Emmanuel ended up dead or where his remains might be. For now, the question asked by this neighbor and many others, remains unanswered.
