TWO RIVERS, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – In the nearly seven months that have passed since 3-year-old Elijah Vue was reported missing, volunteers who have helped search for the young boy hope Saturday’s discovery of unidentified remains in Manitowoc County could be the break they’ve been waiting for.
“I hope for the sake of everybody that it is him. You know, winter is coming and it’s not going to be as mild as it was last year,” said Tristan Greely of Two Rivers.
Vue’s case first started in the 3900 block of Mishicot Road in Two Rivers, where he was reportedly last seen back in February. An Amber Alert was issued and since then, search parties have scoured Manitowoc County for any sign of the missing child.
From the lakeshore to open fields and wooded areas, volunteer searchers and law enforcement were determined to help bring Vue home.
While it could be weeks before the remains found near Camp Manitou this weekend are positively identified, those who have been following the investigation say they hope it is Vue, in order to bring closure to his family.
“My heart sank. It kind of shattered all over again, you know. It’s very sad. I’m praying, I’m praying we find him. I’m praying it’s him,” said Tara Michels of Augusta, Wisconsin.
Michels has been traveling all the way from the Eau Claire area to help look for Elijah.
A little more than two weeks ago, she and other community members, as well as members of Elijah’s family, gathered to mark his fourth birthday and make sure he’s not forgotten.
“You know, you go, you think about it, you search and you go back empty-handed. It’s not like it was a day wasted, because you covered ground. But if this is him, I hope and pray that it gives some sort of closure to the family,” said Michels.
Members of the public who have helped look for Vue are urging people to not spread rumors on social media. Law enforcement echoed those sentiments, encouraging the community to remain patient while the investigation unfolds.
The area where the remains were discovered is located just northwest of Two Rivers, less than five miles from the apartment complex where Vue was reported missing.
At the time of his disappearance, he was staying with his caregiver, Jesse Vang. Prosecutors say Vue’s mother, Katrina Baur, sent her son to live with Vang — her boyfriend — for “disciplinary reasons.”
Although Baur and Vang both face child neglect charges related to the condition of the home and treatment of the boy, no one has been charged in connection with Vue’s disappearance.
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