Human remains found near where little Elijah Vue disappeared

TWO RIVERS, Wis. (WBAY/Gray News) – Authorities in Wisconsin are investigating the discovery of human skeletal remains found Saturday in the town where a toddler disappeared in February.

The sheriff’s office said it could not confirm whether the remains were connected to the case of missing three-year-old Elijah Vue.

The Manitowoc County Sheriff’s Office said the remains were discovered on private property by a deer hunter who immediately notified police.

The investigation is currently ongoing and no information is available on the age, race or gender of the remains. The sheriff’s office said it expects identifying the remains will be a lengthy process.

Elijah was reported missing on February 20 by Jesse Vang, his mother’s boyfriend who was caring for the boy. He told police he woke up from a nap and the boy was missing.

Vang and the boy’s mother, Katrina Baur of Wisconsin Dells, remain in custody on child neglect charges. No one has been charged in the boy’s disappearance.

According to court documents, Baur left Elijah with Vang because she thought he was misbehaving. The criminal complaint states that she wanted Vang to teach Elijah how to “be a man.”

Police said they found a deleted photo of Elijah on Baur’s phone showing him blindfolded on a bed in Vang’s apartment, with apparent bruising on his jaw, neck and arm.

Elijah’s grandmother, Jodi Baur, responded to the rumors on Facebook on Monday morning. “It’s likely, but not confirmed until the DNA comes back,” she wrote. “They haven’t confirmed exactly ‘what’ was found yet.”

She described the publication of information on Facebook as “completely inappropriate” and criticized the “rumors, blame and hatred” that are spreading on social media.

Authorities have not confirmed any connection to the Elijah Vue case, but many people in the area near Camp Manitou, northwest of Two Rivers, wonder if the remains found are Elijah’s.

On Monday, a police car blocked the gates of the camp.

Mary Edwards, who owns a home across the street from Camp Manitou, said she has had several encounters with police during her patrols in the area.

She said she didn’t notice much activity Saturday night, when police said the remains were found, but she said Elijah Vue’s mother, Katrina Baur, knows the area.

“For whatever reason, she seemed fixated on this place, Katrina Baur, she seemed fixated on this place and she seemed to like it here,” Edwards said.

Two Rivers resident Tristan Greely said she has been deeply committed to the search for Elijah’s life since he went missing and she hopes the remains are Elijah’s so the family and community can have closure.

“I have three young children at home and it’s scary. The thought that he’s been missing for six months is sad,” Greely said. “The community can have some peace now. I think that Elijah himself can have the community with him and celebrate that at least he’s been found.”

Authorities have not yet confirmed whose remains were found and no further information has been released.

The Manitowoc County Sheriff’s Office is working closely with the Wisconsin Department of Justice Criminal Investigation Division, the Wisconsin State Crime Laboratory, the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh Department of Anthropology, the Two Rivers Police Department and the Manitowoc County Coroner’s Office on this investigation.

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