DA speaks after Rebecca Haro accepts plea deal

Added: 2026-06-02

[00:00:00]Breaking this morning, the mother of missing baby who was declared dead has pleaded guilty in his death investigation. Let's get to Mario right now live in Riverside with the latest information. Mario.

[00:00:12]>> Hi Roxie, Riverside County prosecutors say the big question remains, where is Emmanuel Horo? He was reported missing last August and we learned his mother, Rebecca Horo, entered a plea agreement this morning and she has now been sentenced to 12 years and 8 months in state prison. Now, take a look. This video, new video showing her in court as she was pleading guilty to multiple charges. She was in a blue jumpsuit, visibly emotional, and wiping tears from her face at times. Now, according to the DA's office, we can tell you that she pled guilty to child endangerment resulting in great bodily injury, involuntary manslaughter, helping cover up the crime after Emmanuel's death, and we watched a lot of that play out. Smith said prosecutors believe Emmanuel died as a result of prolonged and persistent head trauma, and he said multiple doctors actually at Loma Linda University reviewed photographic and digital evidence of Emmanuel throughout his life, and they concluded that abusive head trauma and was the most likely cause of death. Now, I want you to listen to what Riverside the Riverside County DA's office said just after that plea agreement. Take a look.

[00:01:19]>> Rebecca Horo is going to prison because she failed as a mother.

[00:01:25]She may not have put her hands on Emmanuel, but she knew that Jake was and she had a responsibility to intervene and she chose, repeatedly, not to.

[00:01:37]The law holds parents, all of them, responsible.

[00:01:41]She failed and she deserves to be where she is today. There's nothing satisfying about this case.

[00:01:47]Um I think the the best we can hope for is to bring Emmanuel home, give him some peace, and we're not accomplishing that today.

[00:01:55]And um we're not bringing Emmanuel back.

[00:01:58]This is the best the law allows in this situation.

[00:02:00]>> There's a tremendous amount of evidence in this case, and I I want you to understand that, um, these plea deals do not are not because of lack of evidence in this case.

[00:02:12]>> Now, despite today's sentencing, the DA's office stresses that this case is far from resolved. Emmanuel's remains have not been recovered, and there are still so many questions in this case.

[00:02:23]And for prosecutors, the goal remains the same, to bring him home. For now, that's the latest here in Riverside. I'm Mario Ramirez, we'll send it back to you.

[00:02:30]>> All right, Mario. Thank you.