Inset: Emmanuel Haro (San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department). Background: Emmanuel Haro’s parents, Rebecca and Jake Haro, speaking about his alleged kidnapping (KTLA/YouTube).
The parents of a 7-month-old boy in California who was reported missing after allegedly being kidnapped during a parking lot diaper change — sparking a massive local search — are no longer cooperating with police after investigators and searchers found “inconsistencies” in their story, according to officials.
One of the biggest issues: an alleged “eyewitness report” that says the mother lied about a bruise she claims to have suffered during the kidnapping.
“We are receiving information that Emmanuel was not even reported to have been seen at the football game the mother alleged they were all at,” the Uvalde Foundation for Kids told Law&Crime on Monday after suspending its independent search for Emmanuel Haro due to the alleged “inconsistencies.”
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The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department reports that Emmanuel’s mother, Rebecca Haro, allegedly told authorities she had been in Yucaipa at a football stadium with her children, including Emmanuel, for youth football activities before his disappearance. Haro said she went to a Big 5 Sporting Goods store to buy a mouth guard for another child when the alleged kidnapper set upon them and physically attacked her, leaving Haro with a black eye that can be seen in local media interviews.
According to the Uvalde Foundation, a national organization that helps out local law enforcement with independent searches for missing children through its “Lost Student Initiative,” the group allegedly received “an eyewitness report that the mother’s apparent bruise acquired during the attack at the Big 5 was in fact acquired previous to the incident.”
This, “coupled with our previous communication notes,” led to the suspension of its search operations, per the foundation.
Haro claims Emmanuel was taken on Thursday, Aug. 14, at around 7:45 p.m., with deputies being dispatched to the Big 5 at 34579 Yucaipa Blvd around this time.
“I got him out of the car seat, and I laid him down so I can get his diaper ready” Haro told local ABC affiliate KABC in a joint interview with Emmanuel’s father, Jake Haro, who has a prior criminal conviction for felony child cruelty.
“I was going to get the diaper and somebody said, ‘Hola,’ and I didn’t see nothing,” Haro said in another sit-down with Jake and The CW affiliate KTLA from the parking lot of the Big 5 where she claims everything happened.
“I woke up right here on the floor, and I didn’t see Emmanuel,” Haro claimed.
She told KABC, “As soon as I got up, I couldn’t find my son. I checked all around my truck. And I ran into Big 5, and I asked the lady if she saw a baby or someone with a baby. She said no.” Jake added, “He’s just a baby. Just give our son back, please.”
The Uvalde Foundation for Kids, a national organization that helps out local law enforcement with independent searches for missing children, under its “Lost Student Initiative,” told Law&Crime on Monday that it was working with police to provide details and whatever it can in regard to what the group allegedly found out. “We are awaiting further word and confirmation from law enforcement,” the foundation said.
Police officials said Saturday in a press release that after further investigation, cops were “unable to rule out foul play” — causing the Haros to not cooperate anymore.
“We cannot in good conscience, utilize our team and resources when so much is missing in this case,” explained Uvalde Foundation founder Daniel Chapin in a statement. “Of particular concern to us lies within the inconsistencies in the details and the sudden decision by the mother to end communication with law enforcement and our team.”
Chapin added, “Something is not right in this whole picture.”
Authorities did not respond to Law&Crime’s requests for comment Monday, but they did offer some details in the SBCSD release. Investigators have reportedly searched the Haros’ home with cadaver dogs.
“Investigators interviewed multiple individuals, including Emmanuel’s parents Jake and Rebecca Haro,” the release said. “During those interviews, Rebecca was confronted with inconsistencies in her initial statement and declined to continue with the interview. At this point in the investigation, investigators are unable to rule out foul play in the disappearance of Emmanuel.”
Local court records show that Jake Haro was convicted in June 2023 of felony willful child cruelty in connection to a 2018 arrest in Hemet. He was sentenced to 180 days in jail and 48 months of probation, and is scheduled to appear at a Sept. 2 hearing for an alleged probation violation, KABC reports.
