Father of 7-Month-Old Emmanuel Haro Sentenced to 25 Years to Life for Son’s Murder

Jake Haro, the father of 7-month-old Emmanuel Haro who went missing in August, has been sentenced to 25 years to life in prison for his son’s murder.

Haro, 32, pleaded guilty on October 16 to second-degree murder, child assault, and filing a false police report. He had initially pleaded not guilty along with his wife, 41-year-old Rebecca Haro, in September.

In addition to the murder sentence, Haro received:

Six more years for a separate child abuse case
Eight months for being a felon in possession of a firearm

These details were confirmed in a statement by the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office.

“The lies told in this case only deepened the tragedy of Emmanuel’s death,” District Attorney Mike Hestrin said. “While today’s sentence represents a measure of accountability for Jake Haro, our office will continue to seek justice as the case against his codefendant moves forward.”

False Kidnapping Story and Arrest

Jake and Rebecca Haro were arrested in August after investigators found their story about Emmanuel being kidnapped to be false. Rebecca claimed she was changing Emmanuel’s diaper outside a Big 5 store in Yucaipa on August 14 when she was punched and lost consciousness. When she woke up, she said Emmanuel was gone.

San Bernardino County Sheriff’s investigators uncovered inconsistencies in her account, particularly after she repeated the story in a televised interview. She stopped speaking publicly after being confronted by authorities.

A search warrant was executed at their Cabazon home on August 18. Investigators collected extensive surveillance footage from the area. On August 22, just eight days after Emmanuel was reported missing, both parents were arrested. They were charged with murder on August 26.

Jake Haro has been held without bail at the Smith Correctional Facility since his arrest.

Prior Criminal History and Missed Warnings

Several days after his arrest, Haro was seen along the 60 Freeway in Moreno Valley in jail attire with deputies and cadaver dogs, though authorities did not confirm the purpose of the search.

Haro had a history of violence and criminal behavior:

Arrested in 2024 for illegal possession of a loaded firearm and probation violations
His ex-wife had previously filed a domestic violence restraining order against him
Pleaded to a child cruelty charge in 2023 involving injuries to his 10-week-old daughter

DA Mike Hestrin criticized the previous court decision that granted Haro probation in the 2023 case:

“If the judge had done his job, Emmanuel would be alive today.”

He added that prosecutors had strongly objected to Haro receiving probation due to the severity of the child’s injuries.

Ongoing Case Against the Mother

Emmanuel’s remains have still not been located.

Rebecca Haro appeared in court Monday for a preliminary hearing. She is scheduled for a felony settlement hearing on January 21, 2026. She has pleaded not guilty to murder and filing a false police report and remains held on $1 million bail at the Robert Presley Jail.