A blanket belonging to 3-year-old Wisconsin boy Elijah Vue was found by police. The toddler has been missing since Feb. 20.
A plaid blanket belonging to missing Wisconsin toddler Elijah Vue has been found, police announced this week. The white, red and black bedcover was discovered nearly four miles from the apartment where the child was last seen.
Elijah Vue, 3, was reported missing Feb. 20 by his mother's boyfriend, Jesse Vang, according to the Two Rivers Police Department. The little boy was sent to Vang to "learn how to be a man," his mother, Katrina Baur, told investigators, according to criminal complaints filed by prosecutors.
The child was punished for offenses including soiling his diaper, and was forced to stand for hours in "time-outs" ordered by Vang, police said. On the day he disappeared, Elijah had been to told to stand and pray next to Vang's bed after his diaper was filled with urine and feces, police said.
Vang did not change the toddler's teeming diaper, he allegedly told investigators.
When Vang woke up about three hours later, Elijah was gone, he told police, the complaints said.
Vang and Baur were both charged with felony child neglect. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for Thursday. Her arraignment is scheduled for Friday. Neither has enered a plea, according to court records.
Both remain in custody.
In a Facebook post, police said Monday they had found Elijah's blanket on Goodwin Road.
"Today we can confirm the blanket is Elijah’s blanket. This blanket was located 3.7 miles from the 3900 block of Mishicot Road in the City of Two Rivers, where Elijah was reported missing on February 20th, 2024," the statement said.
Police had earlier released a photo of Elijah wrapped in the plaid covering.
The mother allegedly said she wanted Vang to punish the boy for his bad behavior, which included not being potty trained, according to authorities.
Vang said his discipline involved making Elijah stand for one to three hours in "time-outs," during which he was told to pray and to repeat “I’m sorry, Mommy,” the complaints against them allege.
Vang also told investigators that he created a "boot camp" environment for the boy to make him understand that "going home was a privilege," the complaints said.
In a March 8 court hearing, Baur's mother wrote a letter to the court, saying Elijah was autistic, and her daughter should not be released on bail.
"I have known Katrina Baur longer than anyone else, as I am her mother," the letter said.
It was read aloud by District Attorney Jacalyn LaBre. "I have been the victim of her verbal and emotional abuse for a very long time," the mother wrote.
Baur is also a "flight risk" with a "history of erratic behavior," the letter said.
Local, state and federal agents have helped in the search for the missing boy, as well as local residents. An Amber Alert issued for the child remains active, police said.
Rewards now total $40,000 for information leading to the location of Elijah Vue.
