Emmanuel Haro's Parents Faked Kidnapping Story, Authorities Say

The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department is feeling certain Emmanuel Haro was not kidnapped from the parking lot of a Big 5 ... leading to the arrest of parents, Jake and Rebecca Haro, for suspicion of murder.

Authorities released an update following the Haro couple's arrest on Friday, where they noted that the investigation already included numerous interviews, several searches, and the collection of digital and electronic evidence -- which is why they've since determined that Rebecca's claim her son was snatched from the parking lot of the sporting good store in Yucaipa, California ... "did not occur."

Remember, we reported that authorities believed Emmanuel to be deceased ... but that they were still searching for his remains. So far, no update has come through on whether investigators have located the missing 7-month-old's remains.

Jake and Rebecca were arrested at their home in Cabazon, California Friday, with authorities confirming that they were booked in Riverside County jail without bail ... no other arrests are expected to be made, at this time.

The mystery surrounding Emmanuel's disappearance first went viral last week, when Rebecca claimed her little one was taken from her while she was changing his diaper in a parking lot. She claimed a person said, "Hola," before punching her in the face ... causing her to lose consciousness.

However, investigators weren't able to rule out foul play at the time ... citing "inconsistencies" in Rebecca's story.

The Haro family home was later searched by investigators and dogs, resulting in the seizure of Jake's car.

Jake and Rebecca have yet to issue a statement on their arrest, but Vincent Hughes, an attorney representing Jake in a separate case, told reporters Friday that the couple was "innocent until proven guilty."