THE search effort for Emmanuel Haro has entered its 14th day as investigators desperately comb through a rugged, sun-baked terrain for signs of the infant.
Little Emmanuel, who officials believe is deceased, was a victim of child abuse over his short seven-month lifespan, Riverside County District Attorney Michael Hestrin said on Wednesday.
“The filing in this case reflects our belief that baby Emmanuel was abused, a victim of child abuse over time and that eventually because of that abuse, he succumbed to those injuries,” Hestrin said.
The district attorney’s comments came after his office filed murder charges against the 7-month-old’s parents, Rebecca Haro, 41, and Jake Haro, 32.
Despite not having recovered Emmanuel’s remains yet, investigators suspect the infant was a victim of homicide.
Bobby Taghavi, a former prosecutor at the Orange County District Attorney’s Office in California, who is not involved in the Haros’ case, said Hestrin’s office must have compiled strong evidence to charge the parents each with murder.
“In cases without a body, prosecutors must build a strong circumstantial case before filing murder charges,” Taghavi told The U.S. Sun.
“This typically requires compelling evidence such as blood or DNA, digital records showing planning or intent, credible witness testimony, or other forensic proof that establishes both death and criminal responsibility.”
Hestrin said investigators have a “strong indication” of where Emmanuel’s remains are.
EXHAUSTIVE SEARCH
Taghavi, who was previously assigned to the Golden State Killer Task Force, said investigators face challenges in hopes of locating the infant’s remains.
“The primary challenges are time and terrain,” the former prosecutor said.
“Several weeks have now passed, and in remote areas like this, natural elements and wildlife can destroy, move, or scatter crucial evidence, making the search exponentially more difficult.”
However, Taghavi, the managing partner at Sweet James law firm, insisted recovering Emmanuel’s remains is not impossible.
“While it becomes more challenging with each passing day, it’s certainly not impossible,” Taghavi added.
“We’ve seen cases where remains are recovered months or even years later through persistent investigation, advancing technology, and new tips from the public.
“Finding Emmanuel remains crucial, both for achieving justice and providing his family with the closure they desperately need.”
DAD’S DARK PAST
Investigators revealed in court documents that Emmanuel could have been dead as early as August 5, eight days earlier than when Rebecca claimed her 7-month-old son was abducted from the parking lot of a sporting goods store on August 14 in Yucaipa, California, about 10 miles east of San Bernardino.
But no long after filing a police report over her missing son, the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department said Rebecca and Jake Haro stopped cooperating with investigators.
On Wednesday, Hestrin, the Riverside County district attorney, spoke about Jake’s case from two years ago, where the suspect pleaded guilty to child abuse regarding one of his children with his ex-wife.
The child, who was also an infant at the time, suffered severe injuries, including multiple fractured ribs, a partial bone fracture of the skull, and a healing tibia fracture on the right leg, which left her permanently bedridden.
“This is severe abuse for an infant,” Hestrin said of Jake’s daughter, Carolina.
The judge who oversaw that case granted Jake probation, a ruling Hestrin called an “outrageous error in judgment.”
“If that judge had done his job as he should have done, Emmanuel would be alive today,” Hestrin fumed.
“Whatever you think of the criminal justice system, and people need a break, someone who does that to a child belongs in prison. Period.”
In a jailhouse interview with The Press Enterprise on Wednesday, Jake claimed the injuries to his daughter Carolina were accidental, saying he inadvertently dropped her on a sink divider while bathing her.
Jake and Rebecca Haro will be arraigned on murder charges and crimes of filing a false police report on September 4.
They are being held on $1 million each.
If you or someone you know is affected by any of the issues raised in this story, call or text the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 800 422 4453 or live chat at https://www.childhelphotline.org/.
If a child or other person is in immediate danger, contact 911 immediately.
