Wisconsin man ordered to stand trial on neglect charge in February disappearance of boy, 3

MANITOWOC, Wis. (AP) — A man who was caring for a 3-year-old Wisconsin boy when he vanished in late February was ordered by a judge Thursday to stand trial on a child neglect charge in the child’s disappearance.

After hearing testimony from two law enforcement officers, a Manitowoc County judge ruled there was enough evidence to move the case forward against Jesse Vang, 39, in Elijah Vue’s disappearance, news outlets reported. The judge also denied a defense motion to drop the case against Vang.

The Two Rivers, Wisconsin, man was formally charged in February with one felony count of party-to-a-crime child neglect in Elijah’s disappearance. He is being held on a $20,000 cash bond, with his arraignment hearing set for April 16.

Vang is the boyfriend of Elijah’s mother, Katrina Baur of Wisconsin Dells, who was charged in February with one felony count of party-to-a-crime child neglect and two misdemeanor counts of resisting or obstructing an officer.

Prosecutors later amended the felony count to a charge of party-to-a-crime chronic child neglect and filed a misdemeanor charge of neglecting a child against Baur, who is being held on a $15,000 cash bond.

Elijah was last seen at a residence in Two Rivers, about 30 miles (48 kilometers) southeast of Green Bay, where Baur, 31, had left her son to stay with Vang because she wanted him to teach the youngster “to be a man,” according to a criminal complaint.

Vang called police Feb. 20 and reported the boy missing, telling officers he had taken a nap and brought the 3-year-old in the bedroom with him, but when he awoke three hours later he was gone.