Vehicle seizure marks a new phase in the investigation
Detectives have seized the vehicle belonging to Jake Haro, the father of 7-month-old Emmanuel Haro, as the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department moves deeper into a homicide investigation that began as a reported kidnapping outside a sporting goods store in Yucaipa. The vehicle was taken Tuesday for forensic processing, a step investigators use to look for traces like DNA, fibers, soil, or digital data that could help retrace where a car has been and who was inside it.
The seizure came days after a dramatic turn: authorities arrested both parents—Rebecca Haro, 41, and Jake Haro, 32—on suspicion of murder. Detectives say the kidnapping account that launched an urgent search on August 14 was fabricated. In a brief statement, the Sheriff’s Department said they now believe Emmanuel is deceased and that the effort has shifted to recovering the infant’s remains.
The case began with a distressing report that spread fast through the community. Rebecca told investigators she was changing her baby’s diaper in the parking lot of a Big 5 sporting goods store in Yucaipa when she was attacked and knocked unconscious. When she woke up, she said, both Emmanuel and the attacker were gone. That version of events triggered immediate concern, but as detectives pressed for details, they found significant inconsistencies.
What followed was a sharp pivot by law enforcement. After multiple interviews, search warrants, and a rapid review of surveillance from several locations, investigators said they could not reconcile key timelines and statements. The department emphasized that while arrests have been made, their priority remains finding Emmanuel and establishing a documented chain of evidence that can withstand scrutiny in court.
Friday’s arrest operation underscored just how serious the investigation had become. Armored vehicles rammed the front gate of the Haro home in Cabazon as deputies moved in. Both parents were taken into custody without officers reporting injuries, and the property became a focal point for search teams who have since worked through rooms, outdoor areas, and vehicles linked to the family.
Alongside the current probe, pieces of the family’s past have drawn attention. Court records show that in 2018, Jake pleaded guilty to willful cruelty to a child. Separately, Riverside County deputies confirmed they are investigating the Haros in connection with another child abuse report at a home in Moreno Valley. Those details don’t determine what happened to Emmanuel, but they help explain why detectives pursued the case with urgency and why prosecutors will examine the family’s history as they weigh formal charges.
The vehicle seizure is one of the most consequential steps so far. Forensics teams typically swab interior surfaces for biological material, test for blood that may not be visible, and vacuum upholstery to capture microfibers. They also pull GPS data from infotainment systems, scan for phone sync records, and log mileage and tire wear patterns. If the car recently traveled through remote areas, traces of soil, seeds, or vegetation can point investigators back to specific locations.
Investigators have also cast a wide net around digital evidence—cellphone records, location data, and surveillance footage from homes and businesses in Yucaipa, Cabazon, and along routes of interest. The Sheriff’s Department said detectives have been reviewing large amounts of video from areas tied to the parents’ movements around the time Emmanuel was reported missing.
Timeline, searches, and what comes next
The timeline shows how quickly the case escalated from a missing child report to a homicide investigation focused on the parents:
- August 14, 2025, 7:47 p.m.: Emmanuel is reported missing after his mother says she was attacked outside a Big 5 in Yucaipa.
- Following days: Detectives interview the parents extensively and say they find major inconsistencies in Rebecca’s account.
- August 23, 2025 (Friday): Rebecca and Jake are arrested at their Cabazon home on suspicion of murder. Armored vehicles are used to breach the property’s front gate.
- August 25, 2025 (Sunday): A large search unfolds along the westbound shoulder of State Route 60 near Gilman Springs Road in the Badlands area. Cadaver dogs and detectives sweep the terrain with Jake present in orange inmate attire. No remains are found.
- Tuesday after the arrests: Investigators seize Jake’s vehicle for evidence collection.
Search teams have focused on places where, based on data and interviews, the couple might have traveled. The Badlands stretch along SR-60 is rugged, with scrub brush, loose rock, and steep embankments that can hide evidence. Cadaver dogs are trained to detect scent even in challenging terrain, but finds are not guaranteed. That’s why investigators rework ground searches with fresh teams, new grids, and updated data as lab results and phone records come back.
At the Haro home in Cabazon, deputies have served multiple search warrants. It’s common for teams to return to a scene several times as new leads emerge—checking drain traps, crawl spaces, trash receptacles, yards, and vehicles. Detectives often bring in specialized units for excavation, luminol testing, and 3D scans that preserve a virtual model of a site for later analysis.
Detectives also continue to work the retail angle from the original report. Big box stores and shopping centers usually have overlapping surveillance coverage—from the store, neighboring businesses, and parking lot cameras. Footage can show who entered and exited, the condition of the people involved, and the timing down to the minute. If the initial kidnapping claim doesn’t match video or if there are gaps between camera coverage and the parents’ statements, that can be pivotal.
Community support has remained strong. A vigil for Emmanuel drew families, church groups, and people who drove in from other states after seeing the case on TV and social media. Dozens brought candles and notes. People asked for updates and prayed for a recovery. That kind of turnout keeps pressure on the case and often spurs new tips. Detectives say every tip is cataloged and compared against timelines, phone pings, and vehicle movements.
With the parents under arrest, the legal process is starting to take shape. Booking on suspicion of murder is not the same as being formally charged; prosecutors from the District Attorney’s Office will review the evidence and decide what counts to file, if any, and whether to pursue special circumstances. The couple is scheduled to appear in court next week. At that first hearing, a judge could address bail, appoint counsel if needed, and set deadlines for the DA to file a complaint.
Forensic testing and lab work will play a big role. DNA analysis, trace evidence from the vehicle, and any biological material found in the home can take days or weeks to process. Digital forensics moves at its own pace too—downloading and decrypting phones, parsing location histories, and stitching together a minute-by-minute map. The goal is to build a timeline that either supports or contradicts the parents’ accounts and helps locate Emmanuel.
Authorities have not released a cause of death, location, or any suspected timeline for when the infant may have died. Without recovered remains, prosecutors can still bring a case, but they tend to rely heavily on forensic, digital, and circumstantial evidence. That includes behaviors after the fact, such as attempts to clean or move items, unusual travel patterns, or messages that undermine a reported crime.
Riverside County’s separate child abuse investigation adds another layer. Detectives there are looking into an earlier report tied to a Moreno Valley home. While separate, that inquiry could surface witnesses or patterns that matter to the San Bernardino case. Agencies routinely share findings through task forces and inter-county liaisons when cases overlap.
As for the vehicle now in police custody, it may be weeks before results are public. Even small findings—like soil in a wheel well that matches a specific trailhead, or a timestamped route from a car’s infotainment system—can send searchers back to a targeted spot. If those results point to a new area, teams will likely redeploy dogs, drones with thermal imaging, and ground units to comb terrain in tighter grids.
Meanwhile, detectives continue to work the basics: re-interviewing witnesses near the Yucaipa store, canvassing homes along key roads, and confirming whether neighbors saw or heard anything unusual in Cabazon around the time Emmanuel was reported missing. That kind of patient, repetitive work often breaks stubborn cases.
For families watching from afar, the case is hard to process. A child reported missing, a story that didn’t hold up, and now a grim search for remains. The Sheriff’s Department has asked the public to avoid speculation and to report credible information directly to investigators rather than posting rumors online. Tips—no matter how small—can help refine timelines or identify new search zones.
The coming week will be critical. Prosecutors will decide on charges, search teams will keep working the Badlands and other points of interest, and forensic labs will push to deliver their first round of results. If the seized vehicle yields anything useful, we should see teams redirect resources quickly. If not, detectives will keep grinding through video, phone data, and interviews until they can answer the only question that matters here: where is Emmanuel?
Anyone with information is urged to contact the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department and speak with detectives on the case. The search for Emmanuel continues.