Hidden True Crime - Kidnapped or Parents at Fault?! | What Happened to Yucaipa Baby Emmanuel Haro?

Episode Date: August 18, 2025

On August 14, 2025, seven-month-old Emmanuel Haro vanished from a Big 5 parking lot in Yucaipa, California. His mother claims she was attacked while shopping—but investigators quickly found inconsistencies in her story. Now, with no Amber Alert, no suspects, and police saying they can’t rule out foul play, the search for Emmanuel is growing darker by the day. About Hidden True Crime: What started as a simple conversation at their dinner table became a captivating podcast. Join the dynamic duo of Dr. John Matthias, a criminal psychologist, and Lauren Matthias, an investigative journalist, as they delve into the psychological facets of unthinkable crimes every week. Their unique perspectives and in-depth analysis offer a fresh take on true crime storytelling. Thank you for your support through sponsorships, subscribing, listening, and becoming a Patreon member at Patreon.com/hiddentruecrime Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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Outcomes vary. 3.3% base API Y as of January 30th, 2026, is representative variable and earned on funds swept to program banks. 0.65% new client boost for three months on up to $150,000. Direct deposit $1,000 a month and fund an investing account for a 0.25% increase. Cash account offered by Wealthfront Brokerage LLC member FINRA SIPC, not a bank. I'm Lauren Matthias, and this is hidden true crime. And right now, in alleged child abduction is gripping a community in Southern California, and we have everything you need to know right now.

Even though they're the scariest to think about, non-family abductions, meaning a child is taken by a complete stranger. They're actually the rarest type of abductions. According to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, they make up only about 1% of reported cases. And most of the time when a child goes missing,

it's a family member behind it. But if you're the parent of the child who vanishes into the hands of a stranger, those statistics don't mean much. One case is one too many. And I would say a parent's biggest fear. And that's exactly the fear gripping Ukiypa, California, has this past Thursday when Rebecca Haro reported that her baby boy, Emmanuel, had been kidnapped right out of her vehicle in a shopping center parking lot. The community immediately rallied. behind the family until some of the details have begun to raise some eyebrows. Since going public, the horrors have been begging for help and media attention, but many people online have been

quick to point out that parts of their story aren't exactly adding up. And now some are even questioning if this is truly a case of stranger abduction. Only time will tell. So let's dive into what we know so far, because what matters most is finding baby Emmanuel. And we want to look at the timeline. We want to try to untangle the mystery of what really happened to this baby and hopefully bring him home safe. On August 14th, 2025, Rebecca Harrow and her husband Jake took three of their five children to the park for football practice when one of their sons realized he needed a new mouth guard. So Rebecca decided to make a quick trip to the sporting good store. She brought their youngest, seven-month-old Emmanuel, along for the ride. She drove over to

the Big Five sporting goods on Yucaypa Boulevard, just 10 miles east of San Bernardino. Yuccaipa is tucked in the foothills of the San Bernardino Mountains and known more for hiking trails and beautiful scenery than violent crime. However, like most places, there are some areas that are known to be a bit more rough around the edges than other parts of town. Nonetheless, Rebecca says that when she pulled into the parking lot, she realized Emmanuel needed a diaper change. She parked, got out of the car, and laid him down next to his car seat while she reached for the diaper back. And that is when she claimed she heard a voice say, Ola, before she could even turn around. She says she was struck from behind and knocked

unconscious. When she woke up, dazed and with her eye throbbing, Emmanuel was gone. Rebecca says she frantically looked around the car before running into the Big Five. asking begging for help. She asked an employee if she saw someone with a baby before calling 911. And after that, deputies from the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department rushed to the scene, even deploying canine scent dogs in hopes of finding baby Emmanuel. Officials immediately launched an exhaustive search for baby Emmanuel and whoever might have taken him. But there wasn't enough information to issue an Amber Alert. Instead, authorities released flyers with Emmanuel's description.

The baby boy was described as weighing about 21 pounds, roughly 24 inches long with brown hair and brown eyes. He was also noted to be cross-eyed, and the last outfit he was seen in was a black Nike onesie. By the next day, August 15th, the case was already making headlines. That's what Hidden True Crime noticed this case right away. And Rebecca and her husband Jake sat down for a TV interview with KTLA pleading for the safe return of their son. But instead of rallying public sympathy, the interview had the opposite effect. Viewers noticed details that didn't quite sit right. Very quickly, suspicion about the horrors began to take hold.

So there are three different clips that I would like to break down with all of you. And I just want to pause here to make something very clear. I am not blaming these parents or saying they had anything to do with baby Emmanuel's disappearance. At this point, we do not know. None of us know. What we can do, though, is take a close look at the details, the timelines and the statements that have already been made. Because the only way to really understand what happened to this little boy is to lay everything out on the table, even if some of it feels uncomfortable. So these first two clips are from interviews Rebecca and Jake did with the local media.

I got him out of the car scene. And I laid him down and so I could get his diapers ready. And somebody said, oh, and that's all I remember. And I saw white. And a hearing son, I fell on the floor. And I said as I got up, I couldn't find my son. I checked all around my truck. And I ran into Big Five and I asked the lady if she saw a baby or someone with the baby.

She said no. It was a happy boy. He smiled. McKenzie loved to kiss him. He was a healthy baby. He was crawling. He was kicking and he was playing with his toys. Whoever took our son.

Please give him back. I'm begging you, please, if anything. If you know anything, please, I'm just begging you bring him back. I took him out of the car seat, and I laid him on the chair. And I had his diapers right here. And then someone said, hello. And I couldn't even turn, and I was just, I don't remember nothing. I got up off the floor and I didn't see my child.

Someone took him from me. He came back to give my phone a call. I went when I ran the hole perimeter, and there's nothing here. I didn't see him. I didn't see nothing. Nobody saw nothing. There's no cameras here. There's no lighting.

To the person who took my son, please just give them back to us. We'll forgive you. We won't bother you. We just want a baby boy. He has little wavy hair and light brown hair. It's so soft like a feather. Beautiful brown eyes.

Beautiful baby energetic. Very playful, very happy. Don't hurt him and please feed them. Take care of him. Please don't hurt him and protect them and just bring him back to his parents that love him. A lot of people online are commenting on the Harrow's demeanor in these clips. But I'm not going to spend too much time analyzing them personally. I personally think Rebecca looks exhausted.

And honestly, who wouldn't be in this situation? No one knows what they would do in this situation unless you have been in this situation. and I hope no parent is at this moment. Nonetheless, some online commenters are pointing out that they don't see tears, while others argue that the couple did not seem emotional enough for the trauma that they are going through. The truth is, whenever a child goes missing, parents are kind of damned if they do and damned if they don't when it comes to talking to the media. In the last case we covered, Jaden Spicer, people thought it was suspicious that his parents didn't do a TV interview. but when parents do go in front of the cameras,

every word they say in every expression on their face gets picked apart. Everyone processes trauma differently, and there really isn't a right or wrong way to present to the public. So instead of speculating on how they came across, I want to focus on the details of what they actually said in that interview. For starters, many outlets have reported that Rebecca was attacked from behind. But when you look at her during those interviews, she has a pretty significant black eye.

And to end up with that black eye, she would have either had to have been hit directly in the face or hit her eye on the way down to the ground. In fact, in another video, Jake's sister Esme specifically says Rebecca was struck in the face. So she realized that he had went to the bathroom on himself, of course, he's a baby. And she laid him down in the back. her back was turned she was felt to change him she was getting everything prepared and she felt like a tap on her shoulder

she turned around and all she heard was Ola and before she could even before she could even see this person acknowledged this person whatever the case may be he socked her in the face and she ended up blacking out

He knocked her out and she fell to the floor. And this thing you know is, she came to, she woke up. She was looking around for the baby. The baby was gone. But I haven't actually heard Rebecca say that herself or have seen this reported anywhere officially. At my bank, I was literally getting pennies using wealthfronts. Chiching! Meet Angela, a wealthfront cash account client since 2023.

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Cash account offered by Wealthfront brokerage LLC member FINRA SIPC, not a bank. These and eligibility requirements may apply to certain checking features of the cash account. And another piece of the puzzle that's missing, no one has given an estimate of how long she was supposedly unconscious. On top of that, plenty of people have pointed out that her black eye looks much older than just a day old. And that was when the interview was conducted, that black eye, again, would have been just a day old. People have also noticed the subtle detail and how Emmanuel is being spoken about. Jake, for instance, described him in the past tense, saying, quote, he was a healthy baby. He was crawling. He was kicking. He was playing with his toys.

And quote. Whether intentional or not, referring to Emmanuel, as if he's no longer here, only fuel speculation about what really happened to this baby boy and whether his family already knows more than they're letting on. Another thing that really stuck out to me was when Rebecca said, quote, no one saw anything. There's no cameras or lighting around. end quote. Well, that immediately raised a red flag. There are cameras everywhere nowadays. I thought surely at least one nearby business or security system would have captured something, the suspect, the attack itself, a getaway vehicle, anything. So I pulled up Google Earth and what I found is interesting. If you zoom in on the big five parking lot, you can actually see what appears to be two cameras mounted there. At first, I thought they might just be light poles, but when you compare them to the other poles in the lot, they look different. And if you zoom in,

you can clearly tell their cameras. And that's not even counting the businesses right next door. There's a big lot in an auto zone, both of which, like most chain stores, are usually covered in surveillance cameras, even if the big five cameras weren't working that day for some reason. There are plenty of other businesses in that immediate area that likely have cameras too. Across the street, there's a liquor store and a gas station, both of which you here to have surveillance and even the traffic lights at the intersections in both directions are outfitted with cameras. So then I thought, okay, maybe the suspect didn't head out toward the main road. What if they slipped out behind the shopping center instead? Well,

directly behind the Big Five is a residential street called Ave B. I checked a lot of the houses along that street, especially the ones closest to the store. And many of them have home security cameras as well, which means if the person was on foot with baby Emmanuel, or even cutting through the neighborhood to a waiting vehicle, there's a very good chance they would have been caught on someone's surveillance system. So when you piece all of that together, it makes Rebecca's statement that no one saw anything

and there were no cameras around feel a little confusing. And I'm sure detectives have been working hard behind the scenes, canvassing the area and asking for any surveillance footage that might have captured what really happened that day. But here's where speculation comes in. Some people believe officials may have already collected surveillance, footage that either contradicts Rebecca's version of events or shows something entirely different. The theory is that investigators are letting Rebecca continue telling her story publicly

while they quietly built their case in the background. And that might not just mean looking at the Big Five parking lot. They could be going all the way back to the park where the Haros said they started their evening. were their witnesses who actually saw baby Emmanuel at the football practice? Was he ever in that shopping center parking lot at all? Or did something happen before Rebecca even left for the store? Speaking of that, there was this comment made in the Emmanuel Haro Facebook group. It says, quote, I live here.

Many witnesses already have told police she did not have the baby at that football field, and quote. So hopefully more information comes out about that detail sooner than later. And all of these questions become even more pressing when you start looking into Rebecca's husband, Jake, and his background, which might suggest that theory isn't so far-fetched. Many media outlets are reporting that Jake has a history of abuse. And according to court records. And look, the paperwork is a little messy and honestly, kind of confusing, but here's the gist. He was first arrested back on October 12th, 2018, and then a few years later on October 5th, 2021.

Prosecutors actually filed a charge for willful cruelty, which makes it look like he was picked up at first, then released, and it wasn't until years later that the official charge came down. Now, in California, that particular charge is serious. It covers situations where someone intentionally causes or allows a child to suffer, whether that's physical pain, mental suffering, or even putting a child in a dangerous situation that could cause serious harm or death. The punishment can range anywhere from up to a year in county jail all the way to six years in state prison.

And after those charges were filed, Jake posted bond, a $35,000 bond just before Christmas in 2021. Court documents also show that records were pulled from Lomelinda Children's Hospital, which strongly suggests that the child who was hurt ended up being treated there. So fast forward to June 8, 23. Jake accepts a plea deal. And here's what that looked like. Six years of prison time, but it's suspended.

Instead, he gets 180 days in county jail. But here's the catch. 179 of those days are served through a work release program. Only one actual day behind bars just for booking. On top of that, he was given four years of formal probation. In total, the count laid out 21 different conditions for Jake's probation. I won't list every single one, but here are some of the big ones. He had to pay restitution as the court saw fit, provide a DNA sample, and enroll in a abuse treatment program for at least a year.

He was also required to either hold down a steady job or be in school full time. And of course, he was ordered to have absolutely no contact, director indirect with, quote, Jane Doe. And on top of that, He had to complete 20 hours of community service. So while the judge did put a laundry list of rules in place, at the end of the day, Jake avoided real prison time and instead walked away with probation and a suspended sentence hanging over his head. So fast forward to late June of 2024, Jake was arrested once again. This time, for one count of a convicted felon and narcotic addict owning or possessing a firearm. and one count of a prohibited person owning or possessing ammunition.

He was arrested and posted a $10,000 bond, which he is currently out on now, although he has a probation violation court date scheduled for September 2nd. An alleged former coworker of Jake has since posted on Facebook, quote, I used to work with Jake at Walmart. He should be the prime suspect in all of this. I'm not going to go into detail, but his previous relationship didn't end well. so he's crazy and he beat one of his kids so bad, it caused severe brain damage and the child was not the same. Let's just be real here. Jake should be the number one suspect, quote.

So when you take into account all of the contradictions, Jake's alleged history and the overall bizarre nature of this case, it's easy to see why so many people are struggling to believe this is really in abduction or not just look at Emmanuel's family as well. And as of today, new information seems to bolster that doubt even further. On Saturday, the police revealed that detectives confronted Rebecca about the inconsistencies in her initial statement. There were inconsistencies. And following that confrontation, she reportedly, quote, declined to continue with the interview.

The department went on to release a statement saying, quote, at this point in the investigation, investigators are unable to rule out foul play in the disappearance of Emmanuel, and quote. Regardless of the speculations ruling online, it's important to remember that those closest to the family do not believe they could have ever harmed Emmanuel. Mary Hausen is Emmanuel's grandmother. They're not going to hurt that maybe those, that couple were just home.

She says investigators have questioned the couple twice. She can't handle it anymore. You know, she's been without her baby since yesterday after no. If you have my grandson, please give it to his mom. She's going crazy. Please have mercy on her. She's a great mother. So everything you guys are saying about her, first of all, you don't know her and show some compassion.

Like, she just, she just had her. son taken from her. It's entirely possible that this was just an abduction, a stranger abduction, and the cameras nearby just simply weren't working. And if that's the case, these parents are going through the absolute worst moment of their lives, and we shouldn't lose sight of that possibility at their pain. The truth is, we just don't know what happened to Emmanuel. All we can do is hope that this precious baby is safe and somewhere out there and that he is brought back home. And if he isn't able to be brought back home, whoever did this, needs to be found and held responsible. For now, all we can do is wait and pray for answers and know that law enforcement

is following the leads and trust the investigation is moving forward. But I would like to know if any of you out there have been following this and what your thoughts are as we wait for those answers, impatiently waiting. I have been looking and hoping. And again, let's hope and pray if you pray for baby Emmanuel's safe return. Before I switched to wealth front, my APY was probably 0.1. Like, it was a joke. I was literally getting pennies. Once I switched to chiching. With a wealthfront cash account, earn up to 4.2% APY on your cash. The high APY with Wellfront was a clear winner. There are no petty fees.

Every month, there's this much that I'm getting an interest in. I didn't have to do anything. My money is working hard on its own, and I can trust Welfront is taking care of me. Earn more on your uninvested cash with a Wealthfront cash account. No account fees, no minimums, and no strings attached. Get started today at Wealthfront.com. Clients were paid $1,000 for their testimonials creating a conflict of interest. Outcomes vary.

3.3%. As of January 30th, 2026 is representative variable and earned on funds. swept to program banks. 0.65% new client boosts for three months on up to $150,000. Direct deposit $1,000 a month and fund an investing account for a 0.25% increase. Cash account offered by Wealthfront Brokerage LLC member FINRA SIPC, not a bank. These and eligibility requirements may apply to certain checking features of the cash account. Before I switched to Wealthfront, my APY was probably 0.1.

Once I switched, chitching. With a Wealthfront cash account, earn up to 4.2% APY on your cash. I can trust. Wealthfront is taking care of me. Make your money earn more. Get started at Wealthfront.com. Clients were paid $1,000 for their testimonials, creating a conflict of interest. Outcomes vary.

3.3%. Base API why as of January 30th, 2026 is representative variable and earned on funds swept to program banks. 0.65% new client boosts for three months on up to $150,000. Direct deposit $1,000 a month and fund an investing account for a 0.25% increase. Cash account offered by Wealthfront Brokerage LLC member FINRA SIPC, not a bank.