A kidnapping claim that jolted two Inland Empire communities has flipped into a homicide investigation. One week after 7-month-old Emmanuel Haro was reported missing, his parents, Jake, 32, and Rebecca, 41, were arrested on suspicion of murder. Detectives say the mother’s story about being attacked outside a sporting goods store in Yucaipa and waking up to find her baby gone did not hold up.
The Friday, August 22 arrests unfolded at the family’s Cabazon home with a sizable law enforcement presence. SWAT vehicles rammed through the front gate, and both parents were taken into custody without incident, officials said. Rebecca is being held at the Robert Presley Detention Center; Jake is at the Larry D. Smith Correctional Facility. Both are held without bail ahead of a court appearance set for Tuesday at 8 a.m.
What investigators say changed the case
Emmanuel was reported missing on August 14. Rebecca told authorities she was changing him outside her vehicle at a Big 5 sporting goods store in Yucaipa when an unknown man assaulted her, knocked her unconscious, and took the baby. That account set off an urgent search across Yucaipa and Cabazon.
In the days that followed, detectives interviewed Rebecca several times. According to officials, they confronted her with contradictions between what she first said and what evidence suggested. Investigators say she gave conflicting statements and then declined to continue the interview process. That, they said, led them to believe the kidnapping claim was fabricated.
Behind the scenes, the search widened fast. Teams fanned out in Yucaipa and Cabazon, brought in scent-tracking dogs, and served multiple search warrants at the Haro home. Detectives pulled surveillance video from businesses and homes near places of interest. They seized phones, iPads, Xbox consoles, and the family’s vehicle, looking for any digital trail that could show movements, searches, messages, or photos tied to the missing child.
Just two days after Emmanuel vanished, both parents went on local TV to plead for help. In an interview with KABC on August 16, Rebecca described him as a happy baby and begged for his safe return. Jake addressed the supposed kidnapper directly and asked for the baby to be brought back. Those public appeals came before investigators say the story began to unravel.
Records show this is not Jake’s first contact with child welfare authorities. In 2018, he pleaded guilty to willful cruelty to a child in an unrelated case. His attorney in a separate criminal matter, Vincent Hughes, had previously said the family was cooperating with detectives and that Rebecca refused a polygraph test when asked. Polygraph exams are voluntary and typically not admissible in court; refusal alone is not proof of wrongdoing.
It’s important to stress where things stand legally. The couple has been arrested on suspicion of murder; prosecutors still have to file formal charges. Holding someone without bail signals the seriousness of the allegations, but it does not decide guilt. On Tuesday, a judge is expected to review the case status, address legal representation, and consider next steps that could include setting bail or leaving the no-bail hold in place. If formal charges are filed, the court will schedule arraignment and later hearings.
What turned the tide for detectives? Officials point to contradictions in statements. Beyond that, cases like this often hinge on a few things: the lack of physical evidence to support an abduction at the reported scene; inconsistencies with medical findings about an alleged assault; surveillance video that doesn’t match timelines; and digital data that places people or devices in locations that contradict their accounts. Investigators have not disclosed specific findings beyond saying the reported kidnapping was fabricated, but the rapid shift from an abduction probe to a homicide arrest suggests they believe the evidence is strong.
Here’s the timeline investigators and public records outline so far:
- August 14: Emmanuel is reported missing after his mother claims she was assaulted outside a Big 5 in Yucaipa.
- August 16: The parents give TV interviews appealing for the baby’s return.
- Midweek: Detectives conduct multiple interviews, review surveillance, search the family home, and seize electronics and the vehicle.
- August 22 (Friday): SWAT teams take Jake and Rebecca into custody at their Cabazon home on suspicion of murder. Both are held without bail.
- Tuesday, 8 a.m.: The couple’s next scheduled court appearance.
Geography matters in this case. Yucaipa, where the reported attack happened, is in San Bernardino County. Cabazon, where the family lives and where the arrests occurred, is in Riverside County. That split helps explain the cross-county footprint: San Bernardino County Sheriff’s homicide detectives lead aspects tied to the Yucaipa report, while Riverside County facilities now hold the suspects. The dual-jurisdiction work is common when alleged crimes span county lines.
Despite the arrests, the question that matters most is still unanswered: Where is Emmanuel? Detectives say the search continues. They’re still asking for tips, reviewing video, and going through digital evidence from the home and the family’s devices. A case like this can hinge on a single sighting, a timestamp in a security clip, or data pulled from a phone app. Small details—what car drove past a certain corner, whether a device pinged a tower at a certain time—can fill in key gaps.
What to watch next—and how the public can help
In the days ahead, look for a few signals. First, whether prosecutors file formal murder charges and what those documents say about evidence. Second, whether the no-bail status changes after the court appearance. Third, any new search operations—especially if investigators focus on a specific location based on video or phone data.
Public participation still matters. If you were near the Big 5 in Yucaipa on August 14, or in the Cabazon area around mid-August and saw anything unusual, investigators want to hear from you. Even routine things—like dashcam footage from a quick store run—could help establish timelines. Officials ask anyone with information to call the Homicide Detail at 909-890-4904.
One more note on the legal landscape. Arrests made on suspicion of murder do not end the investigation. Detectives keep building the case, defense lawyers will test every claim, and judges will decide what evidence a jury may see if it goes to trial. For now, authorities say the kidnapping narrative has collapsed under scrutiny, the parents are jailed, and a 7-month-old remains missing.
