California Woman Says She Was Attacked, 7-Month-Old Kidnapped: What We Know

Deputies with the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department (SBCSD) in California are searching for a reportedly kidnapped 7-month-old boy after his mother told authorities she was attacked, and that the infant was stolen from her.

Newsweek reached out to the sheriff’s department via email Friday night for additional information.

Why It Matters

The reported abduction of a 7-month-old in a parking lot of a shopping center raises immediate concerns of public safety.

What To Know

The SBCSD posted about the mother’s account around 1:30 a.m. ET Friday, saying that deputies from the Yucaipa Station were at the scene in response to the report of the missing child.

Deputies say the boy, named Emmanuel, was last seen wearing a black Nike onesie. He is described as weighing 21 pounds and 24 inches tall, with brown hair and brown eyes. Deputies also note that the child is cross-eyed.

In a follow-up post, the sheriff’s department said it is continuing its investigation, as the child’s mother says she was attacked outside a store on Yucaipa Boulevard.

“K9 scent-tracking dogs were deployed but the child was not located. No suspect information is available at this time,” deputies added in the post.

In the latest update around 10 p.m. ET Friday, the SBCSD said the child has still not been found, adding, “our investigators will continue to work on this case to locate the child.”

In an interview with local media outlet KTLA in Los Angeles, the mother of the child, Rebecca Haro, said the incident occurred outside Big 5 Sporting Goods, where she went to buy a mouthguard for her older son’s football practice. Haro said she brought her 7-month-old with her and noticed he needed to be changed.

“I was going to get the diaper and somebody said, ‘Hola,’ and I don’t remember anything since,” Haro, who has a black eye, said in tears, KTLA reports. “I woke up here on the floor,” she said, adding that she did not see the child afterward.

What People Are Saying

Jake Haro, the infant’s father, in an interview with KTLA: “Whoever took my son, please return him. We just want him back. … We won’t do anything to you. Just give us our son. Keep him safe, don’t hurt him, make sure you feed him and change him.”

What Happens Next

Investigators in the sheriff’s Specialized Investigations Division continue working the case. As of 11 p.m. ET, there were no reports or descriptions of a person of interest or suspect.

People with any information are urged to contact deputies at the Sheriff’s Dispatch via phone at 909-387-8313.