A district attorney said the 3-year-old Wisconsin child was transferred to live with a man “for disciplinary reasons,” prompting an extensive search for him.
The accusation was brought in court on Friday by Manitowoc County District Attorney Jacalyn LaBre regarding Elijah Vue’s disappearance. Vue was last seen on Tuesday.
LaBre filed accusations of child negligence against Vue’s mother, Katrina Baur, 31, and Jesse Vang, 39, the man she allegedly transferred her son to live with.
LaBre’s statements in court and information from the police provided some insight into the disappearance of the 3-foot, 50-pound kid with sandy blonde hair and Hmong ancestry, even though no official charges have been made and all case files have been sealed.
According to a statement from the police, Elijah went missing from a home in Two Rivers, Wisconsin, and was last seen there about 8 a.m. on Tuesday. The caller identified themselves as Elijah’s “adult caretaker” and informed the authorities just before 11 a.m.
They reported that a statewide Amber Alert was issued and that a large search was initiated.
LaBre said that Baur “intentionally sent that child for disciplinary reasons for more than a week to the residence” during the detention and bail hearing. She knew the strategies used and the negligence shown. This was something she purposefully did.
Milwaukee’s WTMJ and Green Bay’s WGBA, both NBC stations, covered the hearing on Friday. The prosecutor, LaBre, acknowledged to NBC News via email that she made the claim that Elijah was transferred to live with Vang as punishment.
Additionally, LaBre claimed that Baur had lied to the police about Elijah’s disappearance. Vang was in charge of him the previous time, she stated. There was uncertainty about the nature of Baur and Vang’s connection.
A request for comment on behalf of both defendants was not immediately answered by the state public defender assigned to the case.
On Sunday night, Baur and Vang were still detained, according to documents from the Manitowoc County Jail. They had an afternoon court appearance on Monday.
When they were booked is unclear. Remarks made at Friday’s hearing indicate that an affidavit supporting Baur’s arrest was submitted in court on Thursday.
What the investigators think may have occurred to Elijah has not been disclosed. Using resources from the federal, state, and local governments, they are conducting air and ground searches.
At a press conference on Wednesday, Two Rivers Police Chief Benjamin Meinnert stated, “Since Elijah was reported missing, our law enforcement from local, state, and federal agencies, along with dedicated volunteers and community members, have been working tirelessly around the clock to search every inch of our city and beyond.”
He asked neighbors to search their yards for the youngster and to notify the police with any sightings or leads.
The Green Bay police dive team assisted in the search, according to a statement released on Sunday by two Rivers police officers.
The police department said, “We will continue our search efforts on our city rivers today as they continued last night.”
Situated 90 miles north of Milwaukee on Lake Michigan, Two Rivers is a city of around 11,000 people.
NEWS COLLECTED: NBC NEWS
