Warning: This article contains discussion of child abuse which some readers may find distressing.
The mystery behind three-year-old Elijah Vue’s death continues after his remains were discovered by a hunter on his property.
On September 13, police confirmed that skeletal remains found in Two Rivers matched the DNA of the young boy who had been reported missing in February.
However, the circumstances of how he ended up there remain unclear.
Elijah was initially reported missing on February 20 by his mother’s boyfriend, Jesse Vang, who claimed the child vanished after they had taken a nap in his room.
According to a criminal complaint obtained by People, Elijah’s mother had allegedly been leaving him at Vang’s home to ‘teach’ him ‘by example how to be a man’.
Earlier this year, Vang, 39, appeared in court for a charge of chronic child neglect, just weeks after Elijah had gone missing.
Detectives who initially responded to Vang’s Two Rivers property after the toddler was reported missing noted that Vang did not permit toys to be played with.
Manitowoc County Sheriff’s Office Detective Michael Herrmann testified: “There was one toy in the residence which was given to the child at Christmas time.
“However, during this stay, because it was a punishment, he was not allowed to play with that toy.”
Elijah had been staying with Vang for eight days at the time, having been dropped off by his mother, Katrina Baur, 31, to ‘learn to be a man’.
Vang reportedly described his methods for teaching Elijah, including making him stand for hours while he prayed or apologized to his mother, and subjecting him to dirty diapers, which were changed ‘at least one time per day’.
The complaint also states that Baur told detectives she had discussed limits on discipline with Vang, but he was ‘the enforcer of rules in the relationship’.
Detective Herrmann and Lieutenant Jacob Glaser from the Two Rivers Police Department detailed the harsh treatment Elijah endured.
Herrman stated: “Mr Vang advised that the child was still bottle fed.
“He was attempting to get the child to move to more solid or adult-style food during the time he was with him.”
When the DA inquired if food was withheld, Herrman noted that milk was allegedly withheld from the child.
Messages between Baur and Vang showed discussions about Elijah and included photos of the boy with visible bruises.
Lt Glaser mentioned: “The photograph depicts [Elijah] wearing what is believed to be a black blindfold and appears to have bruising to his cheek, neck and arm area.”
He confirmed the image was taken in the early hours of February 14, just two days after Baur had left Elijah with Vang.
The court also heard about Elijah being threatened with cold water, particularly when Vang texted Baur three days before he went missing.
Glaser said: “I recall him stating that he had given [Elijah] a cold shower and that he appeared to be scared afterwards.”
Two days before Elijah went missing, Vang texted his mother saying the boy ‘didn’t respect me… now I’m making him respect me’.
A summary of the texts indicated that Elijah had been doused with cold water and was described as ‘clean but scared’ at the time.
Vang later told detectives he ‘is afraid of him, as per the complaint, then corrected himself,’ using the words ‘respects me’ instead.
Ultimately, Vang was charged with felony chronic neglect of a child, and Baur faced charges of felony chronic neglect of a child, two counts of resisting or obstructing an officer, and one count of neglecting a child.
The investigation is still ongoing.
If these topics have affected you and you wish to speak confidentially about the well-being of a child, the Childhelp USA National Child Abuse Hotline (1-800-4-A-CHILD (1-800-422-4453) is available 24/7 and accepts calls from the United States, Canada, US Virgin Islands, Guam, and Puerto Rico.