MANITOWOC — Katrina B. Baur, the mother of missing 3-year-old Elijah Vue, has been bound over for trial to face charges stemming from the disappearance of her son.
Baur, 31, of Wisconsin Dells, appeared via Zoom from the Manitowoc County Jail Thursday, along with her attorney, for a brief hearing during which she waived her right to a preliminary hearing, which would have required prosecutors to show there is enough evidence to move forward with a trial.
Baur’s next court date is an arraignment scheduled for March 22. She faces one felony charge of chronic child neglect, a felony charge of child neglect involving a 6-year-old child, and two misdemeanor charges of obstructing an officer.
Baur’s attorney withdrew a motion to dismiss one of the charges during the hearing. The motion was filed March 6 and referred to the original charge of felony child neglect. An amended criminal complaint was filed the day after and the charge was changed to felony chronic child neglect.
Baur’s boyfriend, 39-year-old Jesse Vang, of Two Rivers, also made a brief appearance Thursday via Zoom from the county jail. However, he has not yet been assigned an attorney from the Office of the State Public Defender, so his preliminary hearing was rescheduled again, this time to March 23.
Vang faces one charge of felony child neglect. According to the criminal complaint, Elijah was staying at Vang’s Two Rivers residence at an apartment in the 3900 block of Mishicot Road for more than a week before he was reported missing at 10:59 a.m. Feb. 20.
Missing Wisconsin children:Elijah Vue is one of more than 30 missing children in Wisconsin
Elijah Vue is still missing after 24 days.
Elijah Vue was reported missing by Vang Feb. 20 just before 11 a.m., but told police the last time he saw Elijah was three hours prior to that call.
According to the criminal complaint, Vang said Elijah was told to stand next to Vang’s bed and pray as a form of punishment. Vang then fell asleep for a few hours and when he woke up, the boy was gone.
The complaint said that Elijah had been staying with Vang at his Two Rivers residence for a week before he went missing. Baur, who was in a relationship with Vang, told police she wanted Vang to teach Elijah “how to be a man.” Baur typically resides in Wisconsin Dells with Elijah.
The Two Rivers Police Department sent out a Wisconsin Amber Alert, which is an emergency child abduction alert, for Elijah a few hours after he was reported missing. That alert is still active.
Daily search efforts for Elijah by local, state and federal law enforcement officers have included canvassing of urban and rural neighborhoods; searches of rivers, shores and a landfill in Calumet County; and K-9 teams “checking and rechecking various areas.”
The total reward for information leading to the discovery of Elijah or the arrest and charging of anyone responsible for his disappearance has now grown to $40,000. The FBI has offered a $15,000 reward for information leading to locating Elijah or convicting those responsible for his disappearance, Manitowoc County Crime Stoppers has offered a $10,000 reward, and the city of Two Rivers has now offered an additional $15,000, reward which was funded through community donations.
Two Rivers Police Chief Ben Meinnert said they have received hundreds of tips and leads and officers continue to follow up on all of those.
Volunteer groups made up of residents also continue to aid in searching for the child by volunteering daily to canvass neighborhoods and other public areas.
A candlelight vigil is planned for Elijah at 6:30 p.m. Saturday at Walsh Field in Two Rivers. Free candles will be given to the first 600 people.
Do you have information about Elijah Vue?
Police describe Elijah as being of Hmong and white ethnicity with dark brown hair and brown eyes. He is approximately 3 feet tall and has a birthmark on his left knee. He was last seen wearing gray pants, a dark-colored, long-sleeve shirt and a pair of red-and-green dinosaur slip-on shoes. He may also be carrying a red-and-white plaid blanket.
If you have information that could help the Two Rivers Police Department find Elijah Vue, contact their tipline at 844-267-6648 or submit information via the Crime Stoppers app P3.
Alisa M. Schafer is a reporter for the Herald Times Reporter in Manitowoc. She can be reached by email at aschafer@gannett.com.