At 7 months old, Emmanuel Haro of Cabazon, California, was described as a happy baby. Born to Rebecca Renee Haro, 41, and Jake Mitchell Haro, 32, on December 21, 2024, Emmanuel lived with his parents and at least one other sibling, 2-year-old Makenzie.
Emmanuel was reported missing on Friday, August 14, 2025 when his mother was allegedly attacked by an unknown man outside of a Big 5 Sporting Goods store on Yucaipa Boulevard. But much to Rebecca and Jake’s surprise, the investigation quickly turned in the direction of the baby’s parents.
Emmanuel has not been found, but the search for him remains ongoing. At the time of his alleged disappearance, Emmanuel was approximately 2’ tall and weighed 21 lbs., with brown hair and brown eyes. He is cross-eyed. He was last seen wearing a black Nike onesie. Both Jake and Rebecca are currently detained without bail on charges of murder and filing a false police report, and are awaiting trial for the murder of their son.
Here’s more on the developing story.
The Timeline
The timeline of this case has moved rapidly and continues to do so. As updates present, more information will be added below.
Photo from Facebook.
Fri., August 14, 7:41 pm
Rebecca calls 9-1-1 to report her son Emmanuel missing. She tells the operator that she was attacked from behind while standing outside of her vehicle, changing the baby’s diaper.
She is in the parking lot of a Big 5 Sporting Goods store on Yucaipa Boulevard. She only recalls the perpetrator saying, “Hola.” Rebecca claims the attack renders her unconscious and Emmanuel is gone when she regains consciousness. When she awakes, Rebecca runs into the store to ask if anyone saw her baby or someone with a baby, after which she calls 9-1-1.
Photo from Facebook.
Rebecca later states that her and Emmanuel were in the the area for an older step-child’s youth sports competition, which began at 6 pm. Her and Emmanuel drive to the store to purchase a mouthguard for her stepson to use. (It is later reported that Rebecca and Emmanuel were never seen at the sports game.)
7:47 pm
Police from San Bernardino and Riverside counties report to the scene. K9 dogs and helicopters are dispatched but Emmanuel is not located.
8:00 pm
Jake Haro, Rebecca’s husband and the father of Emmanuel, arrives at the scene.
Sat., Aug. 15
Local authorities release a statement about the ongoing search for Emmanuel. No Amber Alert is issued due to the lack of description about a suspect or vehicle.
Rebecca and Jake speak to Los Angeles ABC station KABC about their son’s disappearance. Rebecca describes Emmanuel as a “happy boy” and both parents plead for his safe return. Rebecca interchangeably refers to her son in the past and present tenses. Both parents cry during the interviews, but no tears are visible.
Rebecca has two black eyes that do not appear fresh, but are in the stages of healing. Her eyes aren’t swollen but have bruising underneath. (It is later reported that Rebecca had black eyes days prior to the alleged attack.)
Sun., Aug. 16
The Sheriff’s Office releases a statement that multiple individuals have been interviewed about Emmanuel’s disappearance. Inconsistencies are noted in Rebecca’s statements. When Rebecca is alerted to the inconsistencies, she declines to continue her police interview. The parents are not ruled out as suspects.
The Uvalde Foundation for Kids, a nonprofit founded in Texas to stop school violence, but which occasionally gets involved in outside issues, initially offered to aid in the search for Emmanuel and provide a $5,000 reward for his safe return. However, as new information became available about the parents as suspects, the organization withdrew their offer.
Mon., Aug. 17
Riverside County Child Protective Services takes Makenzie, 2, Emmanuel’s older sibling, into protective custody.
A search warrant is issued for the family’s home on Ramona Street in Cabazon. K-9 units search the property.
Around 7:30 pm, community members gather in the parking lot of the Big 5 Sporting Goods store in Yucaipa, holding candles and praying for Emmanuel’s safe return.
Tues., Aug. 18
The Sherriff’s office releases a press release stating that extensive searches were conducted in Yucaipa and Cabazon. Officials are also reviewing surveillance video from areas of interest and served several search warrants at the Haro residence.
Thurs., Aug. 19
Officials investigate a reported signing of Emmanuel in Kern County. No additional information is provided.
Vincent Hughes, attorney for Jake Haro, tells ABC News that both parents “seek answers about their missing child” and that Jake is “fully cooperating with law enforcement and investigators.”
Jake’s vehicle is seized by authorities.
Jake’s first ex-wife, Isabel Gonzalez, files a domestic violence restraining order against him in efforts to protect their son, Eli Mitchell Haro.
Fri., Aug. 20
Rebecca and Jake Haro are seen leaving the Riverside Superior Juvenile Courts, allegedly regarding a separate issue involving 2-year-old Makenzie, who was taken into protective custody.
Rebecca and Jake Haro are arrested ar their home in Cabazon, California, on Aug. 22, 2025.
Credit: Bernardino County Sheriff’s Office
Sat., Aug. 22
Eight days after their son went missing, Rebecca and Jake Haro are arrested at 7:28 am at their home for the murder of Emmanuel. There are no other suspects at this time. The search for Emmanuel continues.
Rebecca is taken into custody at the Robert Presley Detention Center in Riverside, California and Jake is placed in custody at the Larry D. Smith Correctional Facility in Banninf, California.
Mon., Aug. 24
Photo from Facebook.
Another search is conducted for Emmanuel along the westbound shoulder of the 60 Freeway, near Gilman Springs Road in Moreno Valley with cadaver dogs. Jake is also present and is seen wearing an orange jumpsuit. Emmanuel is not found.
Wed., Aug. 26
Credit: Bernardino County Sheriff’s Office
Rebecca and Jake appear in a California court and are formally charged with murder and filing a false police report. Both individuals are in court for less than five minutes and a $1 million bail is set for each of them.
The Haro’s are scheduled to appear in court again on September 4, 2025.
Thurs., Aug. 27
Riverside County District Attorney Michael Hestrin leads a press conference. Officials announce that they have a “pretty strong indication” about Emmanuel’s location and remains, and the alleged murder “was preventable in numerous ways.”
Hestrin shares the belief that Emmanuel was “severely abused over a period of time” and that both parents “would have been aware of the abuse.” It is presumed that Emmanuel likely succumbed to his injuries.
Hestrin describes Jake Haro as an “experienced child abuser,” stating that he “should have gone to prison” due to previously abusing a daughter he shares with an ex-wife in 2018. His daughter is bedridden as a result. The judge in that case granted Jake probation in what Hestrin describes as an “outrageous error in judgement.” Jake was on probation at the time of Emmanuel’s disappearance for a separate matter.
Fri., Sept. 4
Rebecca and Jake appear in court and plead not guilty to the murder of Emmanuel. The preliminary hearing is scheduled for September 17, 2025.
Investigators believe Emmanuel was likely killed between August 5 to 14 as a result of severe long-term abuse. August 5 was the last confirmed sighting of Emmanuel.
Wed., Sept. 10
Investigators confirm the discovery of a shallow hole near the Haro residence that contains clothing believed to be Emmanuel’s. The clothing appears to have faint blood marks.
Jake is being represented by Deputy Public Defenders Allison Lowe and Paulette Garthwaite, assigned to him from the Riverside County Public Defender. Rebecca is being represented by attorney Jeff Moore of Blunenthal & Moore.
Digging in to Rebecca and Jake Haro
Rebecca Renee Chavez was born on February 3, 1984. She was adopted by Mary Beushausen, who has been identified as both her adoptive mother and grandmother. Rebecca and her first husband, Edgar Gomez Chavez, were married for 11 years. Rebecca has two daughters with her first husband, who are both adults.
Jake Mitchell Haro was born on February 11, 1993. The names of his parents are not publically available at this time. Like his own children, Jake was removed from the custody of his parents due to drug issues and abuse allegations. His grandfather was mentally ill and his mother, who suffered from substance abuse, frequently left Jake home alone in the care of his grandfather. Domestic violence also occurred between Jake’s parents, of which he observed on many occasions. At 13, Jake and his siblings, a brother and sister, were removed from his parents’ care and placed into an adoptive family.
On March 3, 2014, Jake married his first wife, Isabel Gonzalez. The couple welcomed a son on March 9, 2014, Eli Mitchell Haro. Isabel filed for divorce on May 11, 2016 and the divorce was finalized on July 8, 2016.
Sometime in 2017, Jake began a relationship with Vanessa Avina. The couple married and had two children, a boy and girl. On April 26, 2018, Jake filed a $100,000 personal injury claim due to a car accident in Beaumont, California. On August 10, 2018, Jake and Vanessa filed for bankruptcy in Riverside County.
Information is not available as to when Jake Haro and Rebecca Haro married. However, it is known that the couple have at least two children together: 2-year-old, Makenzie, and 7-month-old Emmanuel. At the time of their arrest, Jake and Rebecca lived in the home of Jake’s mother, who lived next door to them
After Rebecca became involved with Jake, it is alleged that she distanced herself from her own family. The distance created tension because it appeared that Rebecca chose Jake over them.
Jake Haro’s Record of Abuse
In 2021, Jake was convicted of cruelty to a child in Hemet, California in 2018; that child was his then-10-week-old daughter, identified in some sources as “Carla,” with his second wife Vanessa Avina. On October 12, 2018, Carla was admitted to Hemet Valley Hospital with multiple broken bones and a brain hermorage. The extent of Carla’s injuries were as follows:
- fracture to the fifth rib on her left side
- partial skull fracture
- brain hemorrhage
- significant neck swelling
On October 13, 2018, Carla was transferred to Loma Linda University Medical Center, where she was intubated in critical condition. Healing fractures were identified in eight ribs, and there was a healing tibia fracture on her right left, indicating ongoing abuse.
When questioned, Jake told authorities that he accidentally dropped Carla while bathing her in the sink. In December 13, 2018, Carla’s injuries were determined to be intentional and the result of shaken-baby syndrome, squeezing of the chest, and twisting of the tibia. Jake, who also allegedly abused his ex-wife, blamed her for Carla’s injuries.
Carla, now 7, was diagnosed with cerebral palsy as a result of her injuries. She is unable to walk or talk, and is blind, and allegedly only has use of 3% of her brain. A cousin of Jake’s ex-wife has custody of both Carla and her brother.
Jake pled guilty to a single count of willful child neglect as part of a deal stricken with law enforcement. Instead of being sentenced to prison time, Judge Dwight W. Moore sentenced him to 48 months (four years) of probation, a 180-day work-release program and counseling in 2023. This horrific oversight was an example of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s efforts to shut down penitentiaries and prioritize rehabilitation over jail time—including for violent criminals.
Vanessa Avina was also charged with felony child cruelty for placing a child in circumstances that could have resulted in serious injury or death.
In 2024, Jake was arrested and charged with being a felon in possession of a handgun and ammunition, and thus violating his probation. Despite his previous charges and current violation, he was released on a $10,000 bail in August 2024. He was scheduled to appear in court on September 2, 2025, but it is currently unknown as to how or whether his previous charges will affect his current charges.
Shaken Baby Syndrome
There is a lot of speculation in this case as to whether Emmanuel Haro suffered from shaken baby syndrome. Currently, there is no information that confirms or refutes whether the child is a victim of such; however, some of the photos that surfaced online have drawn questions.
Shaken baby syndrome is a severe brain injury that occurs when a baby or toddler is forcibly shaken. It typically occurs when a parent or caregiver shakes a child out of frustration and/or anger, which can resul in permanent brain damage due to the brain rattling against the skull.
Symptoms of shaken baby syndrome include:
- a bulging soft spot on the top of the head
- a large head or forehead
- coma
- difficulty breathing
- dilated pupils
- extreme irritability
- inability to focus on or follow movement with their eyes
- inability to lift the head
- lethargy
- not smiling, babbling or talking
- pale or discolored skin
- paralysis
- poor eating
- seizures
- tremors
- vomiting
Tragically, the extent of Carla’s injuries—Emmanuel’s older half-sister—reflect that of shaken baby syndrome and were presumed to have occurred at least partly as a result of such. In this case, it is certainly speculated that Emmanuel may have suffered from shaken baby syndrome as well. In photos, he is not seen smiling, actively engaging or playing. He is cross-eyed, despite allegedly not always having been so. Being cross-eyed, or failing to follow movement with his eyes, may be a sign of shaken baby syndrome. It is also unknown as to whether he was scooting or engaging appropriately for his age.
Unusual Connections
Rebecca Haro’s brother, James Beushausen is the convicted “Palm Springs killer.” In 2017, the then-34-year-old was arrested for murdering his girlfriend, Jaylynn Amanda Keith, 27. Keith was discovered in the bathtub with a gunshot wound to her head. Beushausen reported her death as a suicide but was ultimately found guilty and sentenced to 50 years to life imprisonment.
My 2 Cents
This case is both heartbreaking and also somewhat difficult to follow. There is a lot of misinformation.
From the information I’ve gathered, Jake Haro has at least five young children, including the two children he shares with his third wife, Rebecca Haro, who has two children of her own. I also must note that Jake is on his third marriage in 10 years at just 32 years old.
From the research publically available, I believe Jake has an anger problem and is unable to control himself—so much so that he has taken his anger out on numerous romantic partners, likely including Rebecca, and small children, which (I believe) likely includes Emmanuel and factually includes his then-10-week-old daughter, Carla. Imagine being an adult and having so little control that you intentionally and repeatedly abuse a 10-week-old child; someone that is so small and fragile, yet also dependent on you to keep them safe. The fact that he wasn’t already in jail for this is DESPICABLE.
Judge Dwight W. Moore essentially ruled that Carla’s life was only worth a measly 180-day work-release program and some probation and counseling. This makes no sense and directly led to the incident in question involving Emmanuel. If Jake was incarcerated for his past child abuse, then this current case would have never happened.
The judge’s intentions were rehabilitation but it’s been at least seven years since Carla was abused and Jake is still abusing his young children and partners. Rehabilitation is not possible for him and shouldn’t be considered otherwise.
I believe—and again, this is purely speculation—that Emmanuel is deceased and his death resulted from long-term abuse. I believe he succumbed to his injuries and Jake, with the help of Rebecca, concocted a story and hid his body, because they knew Jake would face a harsh sentence due to his past crimes coupled with the current case.
I also believe Rebecca knows what happened to Emmanuel. However, I wonder if she was so beaten down mentally and physically as a result of ongoing abuse from Jake, that she agreed to (or was manipulated to) help conceal Emmanuel’s body. I would not be surprised if Rebecca turns against her husband as the trial begins, using allegations of abuse to justify her involvement, and if she is offered a plea deal for revealing what happened.
Rest in peace, Emmanuel.
Anyone with information about Emmanuel’s disappearance and alleged murder should contact the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Specialized Investigation Division at (909) 890-4904.
Anonymous tips can be made by contacting WeTip at (800) 78-CRIME (27463) or at wetip.com.
Sources
- ABC News — Baby Emmanuel Haro timeline: How the search for a missing 7-month-old turned into an alleged murder
- Fox KTVU — Jake Haro daughter permanently bedridden as a result of long-term child abuse, DA says
- NewsNation — Jake Haro was separated from parents as a child over drug, violence issues | Banfield
- Crime Timelines — Emmanuel Haro
- The U.S. Sun — ABUSIVE’ HOME Terrifying new claims about ‘devil’ dad Jake Haro whose ‘abuse left daughter disabled’ are revealed by ex-mom-in-law
- New York Post — Accused killer dad Jake Haro was free despite horrific child abuse conviction — after Gavin Newsom pushed for years to keep criminals out of prison
- Cleveland Clinic — Skaken Baby Syndrome
- Yahoo News — Jake Haro on the scene of search for son Emmanuel Haro along shoulder of State Route 60
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