Remains of Missing Wisconsin Toddler, Elijah Vue, Discovered in Dense Wooded Area After Months-Long Search
The remains of Elijah Vue, a missing Wisconsin toddler, were discovered, bringing a heartbreaking end to a nearly 7-month search.
Elijah’s remains were discovered on September 7 in a “thick wooded area” by a hunter “getting his land ready for the hunting season,” said to Benjamin Meinnert, Two Rivers police chief, at a Friday news conference.
The toddler’s remains were discovered on private property slightly over three miles northwest of where he was reported missing, according to Meinnert. The area has been searched several times in the months following Elijah’s abduction.
The Wisconsin Crime Lab’s DNA testing proved that the remains belonged to Elijah, according to Meinnert.
“This is not the outcome that we hoped for,” stated the police chief. “The family is devastated.” We are devastated. “Our community is devastated.”
Elijah would have turned four on August 25, according to the police department.
Elijah was reported missing on February 20 by his nanny at the time, Jesse Vang, who was dating his mother, Katrina Baur, according to a criminal complaint filed in Manitowoc County.
According to the complaint, Vang told police that he found Elijah missing when he awoke from a siesta at home.
Vang and Baur have pleaded not guilty to felony child maltreatment and other charges resulting from alleged acts before the toddler’s abduction, according to court records.
In March, authorities confirmed that Elijah’s red and white plaid blanket had been located approximately 3.7 miles from where he was reported missing.
“What started as a search for missing boy is now a death investigation,” according to Meinnert. “Although we understand your desire for information, we can’t share every detail, and we must maintain the investigation’s integrity.”
According to Meinnert, the Wisconsin Department of Justice’s Division of Criminal Inquiry is handling the inquiry into Elijah’s death. The Amber Alert issued for the toddler has been canceled.
In the months following Elijah’s abduction, the Two Rivers Police Department provided regular updates on their search for the missing toddler. Meinnert told CNN station WLUK that their exhaustive search involved evaluating more than 10,000 video clips, canvassing by land, air, and water, conducting dozens of interviews, and following hundreds of leads.
“Elijah was a little guy,” said Two Rivers Assistant Chief of Police Melissa Wiesner during the Friday news conference. “But he left a huge impact on all of us.”