In a jailhouse interview on Wednesday, Jake Haro, the father of missing seven-month-old Emmanuel Haro, refuted claims by Riverside County District Attorney Mike Hestrin that his son was a victim of long-term abuse. Haro, 32, and his wife, Rebecca, 41, face charges of murder and filing a false police report, with bail set at $1 million each. However, Haro did not elaborate on his involvement in Emmanuel’s disappearance during the interview at the Larry D. Smith Correctional Facility in Banning.
Emmanuel was reported missing on August 14, after Rebecca Haro claimed she was attacked while changing his diaper outside a store in Yucaipa, California. Authorities quickly grew suspicious of the parents’ account, noting inconsistencies and ultimately determining that the kidnapping did not occur. According to ABC News, officials now believe Emmanuel was severely abused over time and died from his injuries.
The Haros were arrested on August 22, and authorities continue to search for Emmanuel’s remains. Despite the charges, District Attorney Hestrin expressed frustration over a past decision to grant Jake Haro 48 months of probation instead of jail for a 2018 child abuse case involving his 10-week-old daughter, Carolina, from a previous relationship. Carolina is now permanently bedridden because of injures she sustained..
Hestrin criticized the judge’s ruling in that case, stating,
“The judge decided that Mr. Haro deserved an extra break. If that judge had done his job, Emmanuel would be alive today.”
In the press conference yesterday, Hestrin detailed the abuse claims in that case, saying Carolina’s injuries included:
- Acute fracture of the posterior left rib, fifth rib
- Healing fractures of the posterior lateral six seventh and 10th through 12th ribs
- Healing fractures of the sixth and ninth through 12th ribs
- Partial bone fracture of the skull
- Brain hemorrhage
- Significant pre-vertebral soft tissue swelling of the neck
- A healing tibia fracture of the right leg
The couple’s arraignment is scheduled for September 4. Meanwhile, the search for Emmanuel continues, with authorities following leads and using cadaver dogs in their efforts.
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