The medical examiner confirmed that remains found earlier this month in Two Rivers belong to 3-year-old Elijah Vue, who went missing in February. The attorney representing the boy’s mother said she is “devastated” after learning of her son’s death.
During a press conference, officers from the Two Rivers Police Department in Wisconsin reported the death of Elijah Vue, and added that detectives are now investigating the cause of the death of the child, who they have been searching for for 7 months.
The remains were found by a hunter
In early September, search crews found the remains just over 3 miles northwest of where Elijah was originally reported missing. Police, along with air and rescue crews, as well as the owner of the land where they were found, had searched the site numerous times.
“Despite all of those previous efforts and through different conditions and changing seasons, we continued the search and had even scheduled additional searches for next week,” said Two Rivers Police Chief Benjamin Meinnert.
The remains found by a deer hunter were recovered by and sent to the Wisconsin Crime Lab for DNA testing to identify them.
“Death investigation”
“It is with great sadness that I announce that these remains have been identified as Elijah Vue,” Officer Meinnert said at the press conference. “What began as a search for a missing child is now a death investigation.”
Authorities will focus their investigation to determine the cause of Elijah’s death and what happened since he was reported missing on February 20.
The mother was hoping to find him alive.
The boy’s mother was “devastated” upon hearing the news, as she had hoped her son would be found alive, her lawyer said.
“Katrina Baur is devastated by the latest news identifying the remains found as those of Elijah. She remained hopeful that her infant son would be found alive. At this time, she is grieving the loss of her son,” attorney Amber Gratz told FOX 6.
The toddler was last seen in February at his apartment, where he was in the care of his mother’s boyfriend, Jesse Vang, who reported the child missing to 911, telling officers he had taken a nap and when he woke up the child was gone.
The mother’s boyfriend was charged
In March, the Two Rivers Police Department reported that they found a blanket belonging to the child, which was found on Goodwin Rd, east of County Road B, in Manitowoc County, 3.7 miles from 39th St. and Mishicot Rd., where the child was reported missing.
The wanted alert continued, while Jesse Vang, 39, was charged with felony child neglect as an accessory to a crime.
“We cannot share all the details and we must maintain the integrity of the investigation. We know the family and the community have many questions. This is a process that will take a long time and we will do everything we can in this investigation to answer those questions,” said Chief Meinnert.
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