Vigil for missing 7-month-old boy brings out community seeking answers after arrest of his parents

Nearly 100 people gathered for a candlelight vigil for missing 7-month-old Emmanuel Haro on Friday evening, following the arrest of his parents at their Cabazon home earlier in the day.

Flowers, stuffed animals, balloons, books, candles and signs were placed along a fence in front of the property located at 50008 Ramona Street for Emmanuel. Many signs sought justice for the missing baby. “Where is the baby” read one.

The community came together in a prayer circle with blue candles. David Hernandez, a 39-year-old resident of Yucaipa, led the prayer with a bullhorn, adding that he hoped collective prayer would shine light on what happened to Emmanuel.

“I don’t know the family. It just hit close to home for my wife and myself, because we live in Yucaipa,” Hernandez said. “It’s our community, and to hear something like that is not something that we hear every day, right?”

A group of young adults attending the vigil said they were deeply upset about what had occurred in their community. Riah Huey, 20, was outspoken in being a voice for the missing child and filmed the vigil from his phone. “The reason why we are here is to support baby Emmanuel,” Huey said. “What they did to this child is not okay. … They did not give this boy the right life.”

Hannah Coutre, 22, said she was there to support her community. “It’s chilling, disgusting, sad, very sad,” Coutre said. Maya Gutierrez, 20, said she had been outside the property since 1 p.m. and wanted to be a voice for the baby. “Nobody was his voice,” she added. “He didn’t deserve that at all.” She asked where Emmanuel was, adding it was just sad.

Emmanuel’s parents were arrested on the morning of Friday, August 22, on suspicion of murder, more than a week after his mother reported him being kidnapped.

Authorities searching for the missing child said on Saturday that Rebecca Haros, Emmanuel’s mother, is no longer cooperating after investigators found inconsistencies with her story that her infant son was kidnapped outside a store.

After the vigil, some community members set up chairs across the property, unwilling to give up the search for Emmanuel.

“Investigators will continue their search for seventh-month-old Emmanuel Haro,” the San Bernardino Sheriff’s Department posted on social media Friday. One of the signs taped up outside the property fence asked for a confession and for Emmanuel to have peace.