Riverside, California — RIVERSIDE, Calif. (AP) — The father of a 7-month-old boy missing in Southern California has pleaded guilty to second-degree murder of his son after a months-long investigation failed to locate the child’s remains.
Jake Harrow also pleaded guilty Thursday to assault of a child under 8 resulting in death, paralysis or a comatose state, and a misdemeanor charge of filing a false report.
Harrow, 32, and his wife, Rebecca Harrow, 41, attracted national attention this summer after their son, Emanuel Harrow, was reported kidnapped outside a store in San Bernardino County on Aug. 14.
Rebecca Harrow told authorities she was attacked outside a store in the Yucaipa community while changing her son’s diaper and was left unconscious. Authorities said Harrow told them that when she woke up, her son was gone.
Authorities later confronted Rebecca Harrow about discrepancies in her account and she refused to further cooperate, the Sheriff’s Department said.
A week after their son was reported missing… Authorities arrested both parents As part of a murder investigation.
It was a couple Accused of murder Emmanuel Haro and submitting a false report. They are each being held on $1 million bail.
“Based on the evidence, investigators have determined that the kidnapping in Yucaipa did not occur,” the San Bernardino County Police Department said after their arrest on August 22. “The search for his remains continues.”
Prosecutors said they believe the boy died from abuse.
In 2023, Jake Harrow pleaded guilty in open court to abusing another of his children in 2018. The girl suffered rib and skull fractures, a brain bleed and other injuries.
Riverside County District Attorney Mike Hestrin said prosecutors had asked the judge to sentence Harrow to prison at that time, but instead he was allowed to serve 180 days of work release, plus probation.