Crime
Rebecca & Jake Haro charged with murder in Riverside County
MORENO VALLEY, Calif. – The parents of 7-month-old Emmanuel Haro, who is now presumed dead, have been formally charged with murder, prosecutors confirmed Monday.
Rebecca Haro, 41, and Jake Haro, 32, are also facing charges of filing a false police report in connection with their son’s disappearance.
Both are scheduled to be arraigned Tuesday afternoon, according to the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office.
Jail records show Rebecca is being held at the Robert Presley Detention Center, while Jake is housed at the Larry D. Smith Correctional Facility.
Authorities confirmed that both are being held without bail.
The developments come nearly two weeks after Emmanuel was first reported missing, prompting a large-scale search.
On Sunday afternoon, more than a dozen vehicles from the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department were seen stationed along the 60 Freeway in a remote area east of Moreno Valley, known locally as the Badlands.
Investigators, assisted by cadaver dogs, combed through steep terrain but did not recover the child’s remains.
Jake Haro, dressed in a red jail-issued jumpsuit, was present at the scene with investigators. Authorities clarified that while he accompanied deputies, he did not assist in the search. After an extensive effort, search teams departed without locating Emmanuel. Officials later stated: “The search has concluded, and Emmanuel was not located. The investigation to find Emmanuel continues.”
The case drew public attention after Rebecca Haro initially made an emotional plea for help, claiming she had been assaulted in a Yucaipa parking lot on August 14 and that her baby had been abducted. Just one day later, in an interview with Eyewitness News, Jake Haro spoke of his son in the past tense, telling reporters: “He was a healthy baby. He was crawling. He was kicking. He was playing with his toys. He was a 7-month-old, he was our 7-month-old.”
Within a week of that interview, both parents were arrested at their home in Cabazon. A memorial for Emmanuel has since grown outside the residence, with community members and strangers leaving flowers and tributes.
The investigation is being led by the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department, as the missing person report originated in Yucaipa. However, the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office is now overseeing the case after investigators determined the alleged homicide likely occurred in Riverside County.
Authorities say they have executed multiple search warrants at the Haro residence, reviewed extensive surveillance video, and conducted searches in both Yucaipa and Cabazon.
Court records reveal that Jake Haro previously pleaded guilty in 2018 to a charge of willful cruelty to a child.
Authorities also confirmed that the couple has been linked to additional reports of abuse.
On Thursday, Riverside County sheriff’s deputies responded to a child abuse call at a home in the 23000 block of Cottonwood Avenue in Moreno Valley, which officials have confirmed is connected to the Haro investigation.
The abuse investigation remains ongoing, and authorities have not released additional details.
Crime
16-year-old Khyon Smith-Tate found shot to death inside Chipotle bathroom on edge of Temple University’s campus in North Philadelphia
PHILADELPHIA — A 16-year-old boy was fatally shot inside the bathroom of a Chipotle restaurant near Temple University’s campus in North Philadelphia on Monday afternoon, police said, as students and staff returned for the first day of the Spring 2026 semester.
The shooting occurred at approximately 5:00 p.m. inside the Chipotle located in the 1100 block of West Montgomery Avenue, on the ground floor of The View at Montgomery apartment complex. The building is situated near Temple University’s Student Center and TECH Center.
Police later identified the victim as Khyon Smith-Tate, a North Philadelphia resident. Philadelphia Police Chief Inspector Scott Small said Smith-Tate was found with a gunshot wound to the chest and was pronounced dead at 5:24 p.m.
Temple University President John Fry and Vice President for Public Safety and Chief of Police Jennifer Griffin issued a joint statement following the incident:
“The loss of life to gun violence is a profound tragedy, and there are no words that can make sense of it. Our thoughts are with the victim’s family and loved ones.”
According to investigators, Smith-Tate and another minor entered the restaurant and requested access to the restroom. Chief Inspector Small said the shooting is believed to have occurred inside the bathroom.
Moments later, employees discovered Smith-Tate suffering from a gunshot wound. Police recovered one spent shell casing from a semiautomatic weapon inside the restroom.
Although the victim’s last known address was approximately eight blocks from the scene, authorities have not indicated what brought him to the location or what led to the shooting.
At the time of the incident, the restaurant was crowded, and multiple individuals inside the business were detained briefly for questioning. However, police said they have not yet obtained any statements from witnesses who reported hearing a gunshot.
A person of interest was taken into custody several blocks from the scene shortly after the shooting, but Chief Inspector Small said that individual’s involvement remains unclear.
As of Tuesday, police confirmed that no arrests have been made and no motive has been established.
Investigators believe Smith-Tate entered the restroom with another minor, though the whereabouts of that individual remain unknown.
Police are also seeking information about three possible suspects, described as teenagers carrying backpacks.
Chief Inspector Small noted that the area is equipped with numerous surveillance cameras, which detectives are reviewing as part of the ongoing investigation.
Authorities are asking anyone with information related to the incident to contact the Philadelphia Police Department.