RIVERSIDE, Calif. (VVNG.com) — Rebecca Renee Haro, the mother of 7-month-old Emmanuel Haro, pleaded guilty Friday, May 29, 2026, for her role in the death of her infant son and was immediately sentenced to 12 years and 8 months in state prison.
According to a written statement from the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office, Haro pleaded guilty to felony child abuse causing great bodily injury to a child under the age of five, involuntary manslaughter, and accessory after the fact.
As part of a negotiated agreement with prosecutors, Haro was sentenced following her guilty plea in Riverside County Superior Court, where she had been scheduled to appear for a preliminary hearing.
“Rebecca Haro’s plea and sentence today reflect her sins of parental omission,” Assistant District Attorney Brandon Smith said. “Her choice not to intervene was a choice to allow, if not facilitate, Emmanuel’s death. This defendant had a legal and moral responsibility as Emmanuel’s mother. She catastrophically failed in that duty.”
Prosecutors said the evidence showed Emmanuel died after suffering repeated physical abuse inflicted by his father, Jake Mitchell Haro.
In November 2025, Jake Haro was sentenced to 32 years to life in state prison after pleading guilty to murder and assault on a child under 8 years old causing death.
While investigators determined Jake Haro inflicted the fatal injuries, prosecutors alleged Rebecca Haro became aware of Emmanuel’s deteriorating condition and signs of ongoing abuse, failed to protect him or seek necessary medical care, and later participated in efforts to conceal the crime.
Authorities said the investigation revealed that after Emmanuel’s death, Rebecca and Jake Haro fabricated a story claiming the infant had been abducted during a surprise attack in a Yucaipa parking lot. Investigators with the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department later determined the reported kidnapping never occurred.
The plea agreement resolves Rebecca Haro’s criminal liability for failing to protect Emmanuel and for her role in concealing the circumstances surrounding his death.
As of the release of the statement, Emmanuel’s remains have not been recovered.
San Bernardino County Sheriff Shannon Dicus praised the agencies involved in the case.
“I am proud of the investigation done by the members of the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department, the San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office, and the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department,” Dicus said. “Thank you to the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office for their unwavering pursuit of justice. I only wish we were able to locate Emmanuel to give him the proper burial he so deserves.”
The cases were prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Brandon Smith and Chief Deputy District Attorney William Robinson.
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