In February, 3-year-old Elijah Vue vanished from the home of his mother’s boyfriend in Two Rivers, Wisconsin, sparking a massive community search that ended in the identification of his remains by police on Friday.
What began as a frantic effort to find a missing child turned into extensive searches by law enforcement and volunteers with details slowly emerging about the boy’s final days before he disappeared.
The disappearance of Elijah cast a shadow over the town for months, leaving residents grappling with grief and unanswered questions and dealing with a painful waiting game to find out what had happened to the young boy.
Here’s a timeline of key events:
February 12-18: Elijah Vue’s mother drops him off with her boyfriend
Elijah’s mother, Katrina Baur, 31, dropped Elijah off at her boyfriend Jesse Vang’s home in Two Rivers reportedly to address behavioral issues.
February 20: Elijah reported missing, Amber Alert issued
Vang reported Elijah was missing from his apartment in the 3900 block of Mischot Road.
Vang later told police he had last seen Elijah around 8 a.m. that day when he ordered the 3-year-old to stand next to his bed and pray as punishment.
Three hours later, Vang called 911 to report Elijah as missing.
February 23: Katrina Baur and Jesse Vang charged
On Feb. 23, Elijah’s mother, Katrina Baur was charged with party-to-a-crime child neglect in Manitowoc County Circuit Court. Jesse Vang was charged with child neglect. Baur was also charged with two counts of obstructing officers.
February 26: Criminal complaint released, FBI offers reward
According to a criminal complaint later filed on Feb. 26, details emerged that Elijah was subjected to severe punishments under Vang’s care.
During his time with Elijah, Vang, 39, admitted to using harsh disciplinary methods, including making Elijah stand for hours and giving him a cold shower.
Baur initially denied being in the area but cell phone data showed she was in Two Rivers and not in the Wisconsin Dells as she had initially said. Baur later admitted to the police she had visited Vang and her son.
The investigation revealed abusive behavior and neglect, leading to suspicions of foul play. Cell phone data and text exchanges further implicated both Vang and Baur, indicating they were attempting to discipline the child through fear.
The FBI offered a $15,000 reward for information that leads to Elijah, or the arrest and conviction of anyone involved in his disappearance.
March 5: Vehicle of interest identified by police, search continues
In March large scale searches continue, checking neighborhoods, rivers, shores, landfills, Baur’s home in the Wisconsin Dells, as well as analyzing video data, using K-9 teams and aerial drone footage. Despite the search efforts across Two Rivers and Wisconsin Dells, no major breakthroughs occur.
On March 5, police identify a vehicle of interest and are looking for footage of a beige 1997 4-door Nissan Altima.
March 7: Baur faced additional faces
Baur faced additional charges as her felony child neglect charge was changed to felony chronic neglect of a child and a second felony child neglect charge involving an unnamed 6-year-old child, according to an amended criminal complaint.
March 18: Elijah’s blanket found
Local law enforcement also reported it found Elijah’s red-and-white plaid blanket roughly 3.7 miles from the apartment building where he was reportedly last seen.
March 21: Vang received additional charges
Jesse Vang faced an amended chronic child neglect charge in the case related to Elijah’s disappearance in Two Rivers.
March 22: Baur pleads not guilty
Elijah’s mother pleaded not guilty to child neglect and obstruction charges in relation to her son’s disappearance.
April 16: Vang pleads not guilty
Jesse Vang pleaded not guilty to child neglect charges stemming from 3-year-old Elijah Vue’s disappearance.
August 25: Community celebrated Elijah’s fourth birthday
As the search continued, Elijah’s fourth birthday was celebrated at a community event in Appleton.
Two Rivers police shared the event on its Facebook page, saying it wanted to “assure everyone that this is a legitimate event for Elijah.”
September 7: Human remains found by deer hunter
A significant turn occurs in early September when a deer hunter discovers skeletal remains in a remote, wooded area about three miles from Vang’s home. The hunter was getting his property ready for the hunting season when he discovered the remains and called local law enforcement.
Initially, authorities did not confirm whether the remains belong to Elijah, but forensic testing was expedited.
September 13: Two Rivers police identify remains as Elijah Vue
DNA testing by the state crime lab confirmed that the remains found by the deer hunter belong to Elijah Vue.
Authorities announced that the Amber Alert was canceled, and the case has shifted from a missing person investigation to a death investigation.
Vang and Baur remained in custody on charges of child neglect, although no charges have been filed yet in relation to Elijah’s death.
Vang is due in court for a status conference on Sept. 27. Baur’s next court date is a status conference on Oct. 22.
Contact Vanessa Swales at 414-308-5881 or at vswales@gannett.com. Follow her on X @Vanessa_Swales.