Parents of missing California baby arrested in murder investigation

CABAZON, Calif. (AP) — The parents of a missing 7-month-old boy were arrested Friday as part of a murder investigation, authorities in Southern California said.

While the mother reported last week her son Emmanuel was believed to have been kidnapped, sheriff’s authorities said they believe the child is dead.

“Based on the evidence, investigators determined a kidnapping in Yucaipa did not occur,” the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department said in a statement. “The search to recover his remains is ongoing.”

Jake Haro, 32, and Rebecca Haro, 41, were arrested at their home in the desert community of Cabazon, which is about 20 miles (32 kilometers) from Palm Springs, the agency said.

The arrests came a little over a week after Rebecca Haro reported to authorities that she was attacked outside a store in the San Bernardino community of Yucaipa while changing her son’s diaper and was left unconscious. Authorities said Haro told them that when she awoke, her son was gone.

Haro was later confronted by authorities about inconsistencies in her account and refused to continue to cooperate, the sheriff’s department said.

Authorities searched the family’s home and Jake Haro hired a lawyer, the department said.

The couple was booked into a jail in Riverside County and is being held without bail, the department said.

The district attorney’s office in Riverside County, where Cabazon is located, said it is reviewing the case.

It was not immediately known if Rebecca Haro had a lawyer.

A message left for defense attorney Vincent Hughes was not immediately returned. Hughes represents Jake Haro in another case and told The Sun he didn’t believe the parents were responsible for the boy going missing.

“Whoever took my son, please return him, we just want him back,” Jake Haro told KTLA last week.