Authorities have confirmed that skeletal remains discovered by a deer hunter in Wisconsin last weekend belong to a preschool-age boy named Elijah Vue, who had been missing since February.
During a press conference on Friday afternoon, Two Rivers Police Chief Ben Meinnert stated that the remains were positively identified as those of Elijah. He expressed the announcement was made “with a heavy heart.”
Last Saturday, Manitowoc County Sheriff Daniel Hartwig alerted Two Rivers police about the discovery of skeletal remains on private property, found while a hunter was preparing land for the upcoming deer hunting season. The remains were located in a heavily wooded area just north of Girl Scout Camp Manitou and approximately three miles northwest of the site where Elijah was last seen.
The remains included a skull and bones, which were sent to the Wisconsin Crime Lab for DNA testing. Once identified, police notified Elijah’s family. “This is not the outcome that we hoped for,” Meinnert remarked, adding that the family and the community are both devastated.
Elijah went missing on February 20 when he was just 3 years old. An AMBER Alert was issued following his disappearance. In March, a blanket belonging to Elijah was found approximately 3.7 miles from where he was last seen.
Law enforcement and various search teams conducted multiple search operations in the area throughout different seasons and conditions without any leads until the recent discovery by the hunter.
Elijah’s mother, Katrina Baur, and another man, Jesse Vang, were arrested and charged with child neglect on February 21. Local authorities reported that Baur had handed Elijah over to Vang for “discipline.” The Vue family stated they were unsure of Baur’s connection to Vang, who had previously served six years in prison for drug-related offenses. It was reported that Vang was Baur’s boyfriend, and it was from his apartment that Elijah disappeared, although both maintain their innocence regarding Elijah’s disappearance.
A few weeks prior to the remains being identified, community members organized a fourth birthday party for Elijah at Kiwanis Park in Appleton, Wisconsin, while holding onto hope for his return.