Missing 3-year-old: Additional charges brought against Elijah Vue's mother
Manitowoc County prosecutors allege Katrina Baur neglected a second child
Manitowoc County prosecutors allege Katrina Baur neglected a second child
Manitowoc County prosecutors allege Katrina Baur neglected a second child
Manitowoc Co. prosecutors filed new charges against Elijah Vue's mother. There is still no sign of the 3-year-old boy.
State officials activated an Amber alert out of for Elijah more than two weeks ago, on Feb. 20.
Both Elijah's mother and her boyfriend, Jesse Vang, appeared in court Thursday.
The judge heard a bond motion for Baur. Her attorney requested the $15,000 bail be reduced to a signature bond.
"She's been worried sick, not knowing where her son is," said Baur's attorney, Ann Larson.
Prosecutors upgraded a child neglect charge against Baur to chronic child neglect and added a child neglect charge. Her bail remained the same.
"We have now changed count one to chronic neglect as party to the crime. We have also added count four, which involves neglect to another child who is six years old from February 14," said Manitowoc County District Attorney, Jacalyn LaBre.
An amended criminal complaint against Baur gives new insight into the days before Elijah went missing, days when police said she lied about being in Manitowoc County.
She told police she sent Elijah's apartment for discipline.
After doing forensic reviews of Baur and Vang's phones, text and Facebook messages now reveal she and Vang were messaging late on Feb. 13, discussing Baur coming to Vang's apartment to have sex.
Investigators say Vang told Baur that Elijah "can be placed in the bathroom while they have sex."
The criminal complaint says Baur told Vang her 6-year-old daughter "can sleep in the car."
Investigators say she arrived at the apartment at about 2:30 a.m., leaving her older child alone in the car.
The complaint then says at three in the morning on Feb. 14, a picture of Elijah was taken at Jesse Vang's apartment, showing the 3-year-old, "laying down on a bed" with a "blindfold over his eyes." It says Elijah appeared to "have bruising on his jawline and neck on the left side, as well as bruising on his upper left arm."
In court Thursday, LaBre read a statement from Baur's mother, requesting her daughter's bail not be changed.
"Rather than aligning and locating her son, she feels the need to reiterate what a good guy Jesse is and is fully defending him and his actions," LaBre said.
Vang appeared in court without an attorney.
"Mr. Vang qualifies for public defender representation. They've been unable to find an attorney for him yet," Judge Robert Dewan0e said.
Vang spoke during his appearance, requesting his bail be reduced.
"Yeah, I just got a question. I want to put in a motion for bail reduction," he said.