Riverside, CA — A 32-year-old father from Cabazon, California, has been sentenced to 25 years in prison after falsely claiming that his infant son was abducted — a case that later revealed the child is believed to be dead.
Jake Mitchell Haro was sentenced Monday by Judge Gary Polk at the Riverside Hall of Justice, according to court officials. The sentencing follows Haro’s guilty plea to murder, child endangerment, and filing a false police report in connection with the disappearance and presumed death of his 7-month-old son, Emmanuel Haro.
Sentencing Details
Judge Polk also sentenced Haro to 180 days for filing a false report and ordered him to pay $10,000 in restitution. He received credit for 551 days served and an additional six-year term for a prior child abuse conviction.
All sentences will run consecutively, bringing his total prison time to more than 30 years.
“The lies told in this case only deepened the tragedy of Emmanuel’s death,” said Riverside County District Attorney Mike Hestrin in a statement after the sentencing.
Haro’s sentencing came after he pleaded guilty on October 16, nearly 15 months after the case began in the summer of 2024.
The Disappearance of Baby Emmanuel
According to UPI News, the case originated on August 14, 2024, when Haro’s wife, Rebecca Haro, told police that 7-month-old Emmanuel had been kidnapped from the parking lot of a Big 5 Sporting Goods store in Yucaipa while she was changing his diaper.
Rebecca claimed that she had been attacked during the alleged abduction. Authorities launched an extensive search for the child, which included multiple law enforcement agencies, drones, and volunteer crews.
However, investigators quickly determined that no kidnapping had occurred and that the story was fabricated. Officials now believe that Emmanuel is deceased, although his body has not been recovered.
“The search to recover his remains is ongoing,” said the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Office in an update following the arrests.
Couple Arrested and Charged
Both Jake and Rebecca Haro were arrested on August 22, 2024, on suspicion of murder. Prosecutors said the parents’ lies and staged story delayed the investigation and diverted crucial resources during the critical early hours of the search.
Rebecca Haro has pleaded not guilty to charges of murder and filing a false police report. Her next court hearing is scheduled for January 21, 2026.
“While today’s sentence represents a measure of accountability for Jake Haro, our office will continue to seek justice as the case against his co-defendant moves forward,” DA Hestrin said.
Ongoing Search and Community Grief
Authorities say they continue to search for Emmanuel’s remains, using updated mapping tools and cadaver dogs in hopes of locating the infant’s body. The case has drawn widespread community grief and sparked calls for greater mental health and family intervention programs.
Community advocates have described the case as one of the most tragic instances of parental deception in recent memory. Law enforcement officials continue to urge the public to provide any information that may help locate the child.
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