In a tragic case that has shocked the community of Manitowoc County, Wisconsin, the mother of missing three-year-old Elijah Vue, Katrina Baur, along with her Asian boyfriend, Jesse Vang, have been charged with child neglect and abuse. This comes after Elijah’s remains were discovered in a thicket nearly seven months after he went missing.
During a press conference on October 17, Manitowoc County Prosecutor Jacqueline Labrie announced the formal charges against Baur and Vang. “Our primary mission is to ensure a fair and just legal process,” Labrie stated. “Today, we reaffirm our commitment to uphold the law and seek justice for Elijah’s death.” She added, “Elijah was just a little boy whose life was tragically cut short. This is an incredibly heartbreaking case that has stunned our community.”
Reports indicate that Elijah Vue went missing in February of this year, prompting extensive ground and aerial searches by the police, although no trace of him was found. Authorities revealed that he was supposed to celebrate his fourth birthday in August.
It wasn’t until September 7 that a local hunter stumbled upon skeletal remains in a dense forest. The Fond du Lac County Chief Medical Examiner confirmed the remains belonged to Elijah Vue, and the cause of death was determined to be “under unknown circumstances.”
Given that the location of Elijah’s remains was only three miles from where he initially went missing, police became suspicious of his caregivers, particularly Vang, Baur’s boyfriend. Consequently, Vang faces multiple charges, including child abuse, homicide, concealment of a corpse, and obstruction of justice. Baur is charged with child neglect, prolonged neglect resulting in death, and two counts of obstructing an officer. Court documents indicate that both Vang and Baur plead not guilty to all charges of child neglect.
CNN reported that Vang made his initial court appearance on October 18, where a judge set his bail at $500,000, while Baur’s bail was set at $400,000. Both individuals remain in custody as they have yet to post bail.