...
By Hollie Silverman
News Editor
0
Share
Newsweek is a Trust Project member
See more of our trusted coverage when you search.Prefer Newsweek on Googleto see more of our trusted coverage when you search.
Jake Haro, father of baby Emmanuel Haro, allegedly told a police plant that he had killed the infant and thrown him out in the trash, according to a report from Brian Entin, Senior National Correspondent for NewsNation.
Entin reports that the information was given by Haro to the fake inmate as part of a Perkins Operation, in which a person is sent into custody to gain information on a case. The disclosure is allegedly recorded, according to the report.
Both Jake Haro, 32, and his wife, Rebecca Haro, 41, were formally charged with murder on Tuesday in connection with the reported disappearance of their 7-month-old son earlier this month after investigators concluded the child likely died of prolonged abuse and launched searches for his remains.
Read More
Hostess Ding Dongs Recall 2025 Over Potential Mold Contamination3 min read
Supreme Court Faces Decision on Another Case Related to Same-Sex Marriage5 min read
Mexico Is Latest Country To Suspend Mail Packages to US Amid Trump Tariffs3 min read
Rebecca Haro initially reported that she was struck by a man and knocked out while she was changing Emmanuel in a parking lot outside Big 5 Sporting Goods on the night of August 14.
Multiple agencies responded to the reported abduction before it was determined that the mother and father had inconsistencies in their stories, and the couple was arrested on Friday.
Newsweek has reached out to the Riverside County District Attorney's office for more information.
Why It Matters
The initial report of an abduction in a public parking lot prompted widespread community concern and a coordinated response by law enforcement, who executed search warrants, seized electronic devices and deployed cadaver-detection dogs while reviewing surveillance and forensic evidence.
Allegations that the infant died after prolonged abuse raised questions about prior interventions and court decisions in earlier child-abuse cases involving the father.
What To Know
NewsNation correspondent Brian Entin said an informant in the jail told investigators that Jake Haro admitted to killing Emmanuel and placing the body in a trash can in the family home.
Haro allegedly told police that he had rolled over on Emmanuel while sleeping, killing him before burying his son's body, according to the report.
The police did not believe this story and subsequently launched a Perkins Operation, Entin said in the report.
...
These operations involve using a person as a fake inmate to gather information, sometimes a police officer, although it is not clear in this instance, he said.
The father gave that person a different story than the one he gave investigators originally.
What Happened to Emmanuel Haro?
Investigators said they believed Emmanuel Haro had been severely abused over time and likely died before the date his mother reported him missing.
Prosecutors listed a potential date of death between August 5 and August 14 in charging documents, and they charged both parents with murder with malice, according to a report from The Los Angeles Times.
Emmanuel's body has still not been recovered.
Authorities initially investigated an alleged abduction after the child's mother reported being knocked unconscious outside a Big 5 Sporting Goods parking lot in Yucaipa on Aug. 14.
Investigators later said they found inconsistencies in that account and concluded the kidnapping did not occur.
Law enforcement conducted searches in Yucaipa, Moreno Valley, and at the Haro home and used cadaver dogs along stretches of freeway.
Tuesday, Jake Haro was seen with authorities on a freeway during a search.
Who Are Emmanuel Haro's Parents?
Jake and Rebecca Haro live in Cabazon, California.
Prosecutors noted that Jake Haro had a prior child-abuse case from 2018, with prosecutors saying he pleaded guilty in 2023, received jail time and probation with required programs, and avoided an unsuspended four-year prison term.
Riverside County District Attorney Michael Hestrin said that a prior judge's decision to suspend a longer prison term for Jake Haro was an "outrageous error in judgment" and suggested that, had the earlier sentence been imposed, Emmanuel might still be alive, the Los Angeles Times reported.
When Were Emannuel Haro's Parents Arrested?
San Bernardino County deputies arrested Jake and Rebecca Haro at their Cabazon home on August 22.
Both parents were charged with murder and a misdemeanor count of making a false police report on August 26.
Officials said the couple was taken into custody after an armored vehicle breached their front gate during the arrest.
The Haros are being held on $1 million bail each, with further court proceedings scheduled.
What People Are Saying
Daniel Chapin, founder of the Uvalde Foundation For Kids, said in a statement to Newsweek on Tuesday: "The filing of these charges sends a clear message that those entrusted with a child's safety will be held accountable."
Riverside County District Attorney Michael Hestrin said during a press conference: "If that judge had done his job as he should have done, Emmanuel would be alive today. That's a shame and it's an outrage."
What Happens Next
Prosecutors said searches and evidence reviews would continue while surveillance, forensic analysis and witness interviews proceeded.
Authorities asked anyone with information to contact the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Specialized Investigations Division at 909-890-4904 or submit anonymous tips to WeTip at 1-800-78-CRIME.
Update 8/27/25, 6:09 p.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information and a new headline.
Update 8/27/25, 6:20 p.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information.
View 0 Comments
Submit Correction
View Editorial & AI Guidelines