Parents of a 7-month-old boy reported missing in Southern California for almost two weeks are facing murder charges. Jake Halo, 32, and his wife, Rebecca Halo, were charged with felony murder of their son, Emmanuel, as confirmed by the Riverside County Attorney’s Office. They also face a misdemeanor charge for submitting a false police report.
Initially, Jake had claimed his son went missing on August 14, but investigators determined that story was inaccurate. Authorities believe the child is deceased, though his body hasn’t been recovered as of now.
The couple attended court with a public defender on Tuesday, but their arrests were not made until September 4, according to online records.
Riverside County prosecutors stated they would withhold further details until a press conference scheduled for Wednesday.
Emmanuel was reported missing when his mother explained that he was taken while she was changing his diaper in a store parking lot in Yucaipa, San Bernardino County. She alleged that someone said “hola” to her before everything went blank.
In a prior interview, she expressed confusion, stating, “I woke up on the floor and my son is gone.” The couple initially spoke publicly, pleading for help in finding their son.
However, over the weekend, investigators indicated that the couple had stopped cooperating and noted inconsistencies in the mother’s account. They declined to specify the nature of those contradictions.
Jake was arrested on murder suspicion at their home in Cabazon, located about 90 miles east of Los Angeles. In a search of the family’s residence and nearby areas, authorities were present even while Jake was in custody.
In a past incident, Jake Halo had pleaded guilty to a child abuse charge in 2018 and was jailed in 2023. During a recent prison interview, Rebecca insisted her husband would never harm their child and expressed a determination to find Emmanuel. “I want to go out looking for my baby,” she declared, “I won’t give up.”
