Missing Elijah Vue’s mother to go to trial, judge rules

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A Wisconsin judge determined there was probably cause for Katrina Baur, the mother of missing 3-year-old Elijah Vue, to be tried on charges of child neglect and obstruction.

Elijah has been missing for nearly four weeks after being sent to live with her boyfriend so he could “become a man.”

The judge issued his ruling on Thursday and set Ms Baur’s arraignment for 22 March.

Jesse Vang, 39, Ms Baur’s boyfriend, has also been charged with child neglect. The court is still trying to find an attorney to represent him. He has requested a speedy trial.

Elijah was last seen on 20 February after he was told by Mr Vang to stand at the foot of his bed and pray while he napped.

An Amber Alert was issued later that day as police began searching for the missing boy. Neighbours were asked to help search the region for the boy, especially in any nooks and crannies the small child could have become trapped inside.

Mr Vang was arrested the same day on suspicion of child neglect. Police arrested Ms Baur the following day on suspicion of being party-to-a-crime child neglect.

Despite both parents being in police custody, little headway has been made in the search for the child. Both Ms Baur and Mr Vang have insisted that they had nothing to do with Elijah’s disappearance.

Elijah was reportedly subjected to numerous forms of “discipline” in the form of alleged abuse. Based on police discussions with the suspects, Elijah was reportedly subjected to standing “time-outs” in which he was forced to stand for hours at a time and was also threatened with cold water if he did not comply with their demands.

Prosecutors also told the court they had evidence that Ms Baur left Elijah unattended in a vehicle on 14 February for approximately an hour in below-freezing temperatures without the engine running to keep the car warm.

Mr Vang reportedly admitted to police that Elijah was scared of him, but insisted his actions were only in the interest of improving the toddler’s behaviour.