Elijah Vue's mother denied motion to change $15,000 bond

MANITOWOC — A motion to modify the $15,000 cash bond for Katrina B. Baur was denied by Manitowoc County Judge Robert Dewane Tuesday.

Baur, 31, and her attorney, Ann Larson, appeared by video for a motion hearing Tuesday in the Manitowoc County Circuit Court. Baur is the mother to Elijah Vue, the 3-year-old child who went missing from a Two Rivers apartment in February. After 71 days of searching, Elijah still has not been found.

The motion to the court had asked to change Baur's cash bond to a signature bond, which would not require any money for Baur's release from Manitowoc County Jail during her court case.

Larson said Baur, a Wisconsin Dells resident, already had a place she could live within Manitowoc County if a signature bond were to be granted.

Dewane, however, said he felt there were too many unanswered questions in the case to justify granting a signature bond.

Missing 2 months: 3-year-old Elijah Vue has been missing for 2 months in Two Rivers. Police continue to look for him.

The next event in Baur's case is now a status conference set for May 28. Baur is not expected to be in attendance for that meeting.

Baur was arrested shortly after Elijah was reported missing and is facing a felony charge of chronic child neglect, a second charge of felony child neglect involving a different child, and two misdemeanor charges of obstructing an officer for lying to them about her whereabouts in the days before her child was reported missing, according to the criminal complaint. She pleaded not guilty to the charges March 22.

Jesse Vang, a 39-year-old Two Rivers man who was in a relationship with Baur, was also arrested and charged with felony chronic child neglect. He pleaded not guilty to the charge during an arraignment April 16 and his next appearance is scheduled for June 28. He also is being held at Manitowoc County Jail, on a $20,000 cash bond.

How Elijah Vue was reported missing and more about the case.

Vang told police he was the last person to see Elijah before he reported the 3-year-old missing Feb. 20. Vang reported the disappearance just before 11 a.m. that day, but told police the last time he saw Elijah was three hours prior to that call.

According to the criminal complaint, Vang said Elijah was told to stand next to Vang's bed and pray as a form of punishment. Vang then fell asleep for a few hours and when he woke up, the boy was gone.

The complaint said Elijah had been staying with Vang at his Two Rivers residence — an apartment in the 3900 block of Mishicot Road in Two Rivers — for a week before he went missing.

Baur told police she wanted Vang to teach Elijah "how to be a man." Baur typically resides in Wisconsin Dells with Elijah.

The Two Rivers Police Department sent out a Wisconsin AMBER Alert, which is an emergency child abduction alert, for Elijah a few hours after he was reported missing. That alert is still active.

Vigil honors Elijah: Elijah Vue vigil in Two Rivers sends message of positivity and hope for the missing 3-year-old Wisconsin boy

The total reward for information leading to the discovery of Elijah or the arrest and charging of anyone responsible for his disappearance has now grown to $40,000. The FBI has offered a $15,000 reward for information leading to locating Elijah or convicting those responsible for his disappearance, Manitowoc County Crime Stoppers has offered a $10,000 reward, and the city of Two Rivers has now offered an additional $15,000, reward which was funded through community donations.

If you have information that could help the Two Rivers Police Department find Elijah Vue, contact their tipline at 844-267-6648 or submit information via the Crime Stoppers app P3.

Alisa M. Schafer is a reporter for the Herald Times Reporter in Manitowoc. She can be reached by email at aschafer@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Manitowoc Herald Times Reporter: Elijah Vue's mother denied motion to change $15,000 bond