Elijah Vue is still missing in Two Rivers as search for the 3-year-old continues into sixth day
TWO RIVERS — The search for Elijah Vue, the 3-year-old boy first reported missing Feb. 20, continued overnight Saturday and into Sunday.
Two Rivers Police Chief Ben Meinnert said in the latest update from police at 12:05 p.m. Sunday: "Our search efforts continued throughout last night and will continue today on our city rivers. Thank you to the Door County/Sturgeon Bay Dive Team and the Green Bay Dive Team for further assisting last night with the efforts already in place by Wings of Hope and NorthStar.
"We have also resumed our neighborhood canvass and continue to follow up on all leads and tips."
Meinnert shared on Saturday that at least one fake video was circulating on social media that claimed to show the recovery of a minor child by police.
“Beware of scams seeking your money and personal information, but also those now looking to take advantage of this unfortunate incident,” the chief said.
“The Two Rivers Police Department is your source for facts regarding this case,” he continued, “and we will continue to update the community as we are able and as timely as we can.”
As local residents continue to coordinate in the search for Elijah, Meinnert asked that they “respect others’ private property and be cautious when conducting those searches.”
Magee Elementary School in Two Rivers was assisting with giving a growing law enforcement effort — which also includes Manitowoc Police Department, Manitowoc County Sheriff's Office, Sheboygan County Sheriff's Office and the FBI — additional space for operations.
On Saturday, Meinnert said advanced searches of rivers and other waters were under way with a variety of boats, drones and dogs in the area. Police were being assisted in the efforts by Wings of Hope and NorthStar.
Meinnert said local residents may also see “extensive teams of officers and agents out on foot speaking with people door to door.”
The police department has set up accounts to accept monetary donations to go toward search efforts or a reward. Anyone interested in donating is advised to call the police department during regular business hours at 920-793-1191. This includes anyone wishing to provide food.
Anyone with information about Elijah’s whereabouts or the case is advised to call the tipline at 844-267-6648, submit information via the app P3 or call Manitowoc County Crime Stoppers at 920-683-4466. Callers with information leading to the location of Elijah, or arrest of anyone involved in or responsible for his disappearance could become eligible to receive a reward of up to $1,000 through Crime Stoppers.
Meinnert concluded Saturday’s update stating, “Locating Elijah and reuniting him with his family continues to be our top priority.”
What we know: Here's what we know about the search for 3-year-old Elijah Vue in Two Rivers
Elijah Vue has been missing since Feb. 20.
News of the disappearance of a 3-year-old boy in Two Rivers first came Feb. 20. Police said Elijah was last seen at 8 a.m. that day and his caretaker reported him missing to local law enforcement at 10:59 a.m. An Amber Alert, which is an emergency child abduction alert, was issued later Feb. 20 and remains active. A Child is Missing and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children were also contacted by the Two Rivers Police.
Elijah Vue has dark brown hair and brown eyes and is about 3 feet tall.
Police describe Elijah as being of Hmong and white ethnicity with dark brown hair and brown eyes. He's about 3 feet tall and has a birthmark on his left knee. He was last seen wearing gray pants, a dark-colored long-sleeved shirt and a pair of red-and-green dinosaur slip-on shoes. He may also be carrying a red-and-white plaid blanket.
Search for Elijah Vue has included several agencies and searches by air, water and of landfills.
Search efforts have included using K9 units from the Manitowoc Police Department, the Manitowoc County Sheriff's Office and the Sheboygan County Sheriff's Office, an air search from the Wisconsin Army National Guard, and boats and UTVs from the Two Rivers Fire Department and the Manitowoc County Sheriff's Office. Landfills used by garbage collections in Manitowoc County have also been searched. The FBI has also been assisting with the search.
The public has been assisting in the search for Elijah Vue with police offering tips of where to look.
Police have asked for continued assistance from the public in the search for Elijah. They shared the following guidelines for those helping in the search:
Check anywhere a small child could hide, climb or fall.
Check your own property for items that don't belong to you which could include anything from Elijah such as the red-and-white plaid blanket or dinosaur printed shoes.
Check your surveillance systems from Feb. 12-20. Look for anyone matching Elijah's description in the surveillance footage.
Search public land for the same items or anything relevant to the investigation.
Do not touch anything you find, but contact the tip line (1-844-267-6648) or Two Rivers police (920-686-7200) right away.
Hundreds of Two Rivers residents and people from neighboring communities have turned out to help search for Elijah, and several Facebook pages have been created to organize the grassroots efforts. One community member created a Google map where people with a Google account can mark areas they have already searched.
2 charged in connection with the case: Mother of missing 3-year-old Two Rivers boy charged with child neglect. She wasn’t in town when he disappeared.
Elijah Vue's mother, Two Rivers man charged with child neglect
Elijah's mother, Katrina Baur, 31, of Wisconsin Dells was charged with party-to-a-crime child neglect Feb. 23 in Manitowoc County Circuit Court. Jesse Vang, 39, of Two Rivers was charged with child neglect.
In a statement to the court, Manitowoc County District Attorney Jacalyn LaBre said Baur had sent Elijah to stay with Vang for disciplinary purposes. Baur wasn't in Two Rivers when Elijah disappeared.
A $15,000 cash bond was set for Baur, while a $20,000 cash bond was set for Vang. Initial appearance hearings for both are scheduled for Feb. 26.
Contact Brandon Reid at 920-686-2984 or breid@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @breidHTRNews.
This article originally appeared on Manitowoc Herald Times Reporter: Elijah Vue still missing in Two Rivers, search for 3-year-old continues
