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Mother of missing toddler and her boyfriend are charged with child neglect

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(CNN) 鈥� The mother of a missing 3-year-old Wisconsin boy and her boyfriend were charged with child neglect in a Monday court appearance 鈥� nearly a week since the child was last seen.

Elijah Vue was last seen on February 20 in the city of Two Rivers while he was being watched by Jesse Vang, a man who was in a relationship with the boy鈥檚 mother, Katrina Baur, according to a聽criminal complaint filed in Manitowoc County.聽An聽聽has been issued for the toddler.

Vang told police he noticed Elijah was gone when he woke up from a nap at his home and the child wasn鈥檛 there, according to the complaint.

Baur, 31, and Vang, 39, were charged with one count of felony child neglect, with a modifier of party to a crime. Baur is also facing two misdemeanor charges of resisting or obstructing an officer. CNN has sought comment from attorneys representing Baur and Vang.

Vang said had been helping to care for the child for about a month 鈥� though not continuously 鈥� and trying to correct Elijah鈥檚 鈥渂ad behaviors,鈥� according to the complaint. Baur told a detective that she wanted Vang to teach her toddler 鈥渂y example how to be a man,鈥� and that she had spoken to Vang about the 鈥渓imits of what discipline she did not want used,鈥� according to the complaint.

Vang told a detective that Elijah鈥檚 discipline included standing for one to three hours, during which time the boy was required to pray or say, 鈥淚鈥檓 sorry, mommy,鈥� the complaint reads.

The toddler was mostly bottle-fed and was not potty-trained, Vang told a detective, according to the complaint. Vang said Elijah was not allowed to play with the one toy he had while staying at Vang鈥檚 home from February 12 to February 20 because he was in 鈥渢ime out,鈥� according to the complaint.

The evening before Elijah was last seen, Vang聽had three 12-ounce beers and a muscle relaxant as a sleep aid, Vang told police, according to the complaint.

The following morning, Vang took his son to a bus stop, then gave Elijah cereal without milk for breakfast, Vang told police, according to the complaint. Vang said the toddler did not have his diaper changed that morning and was told to stand and pray at the foot of Vang鈥檚 bed, the complaint reads.

Vang said he noticed the child was missing after he woke up from a nap at about 11 a.m., and that he called police, the complaint alleges.

Baur, the child鈥檚 mother, told authorities that on February 17, while she was out of town, Vang told her he was angry that Elijah had overfilled his diaper, the complaint reads.

鈥淎t no point did she admit she was in the city of Two Rivers between February 12, 2024, and February 20, 2024, or had any face-to-face contact with鈥� her son, according to the court document.

Baur and Vang were being held Tuesday evening at the Manitowoc County Jail, according to .

Police have been searching for Elijah for a week

Police in Two Rivers for the public鈥檚 help on February 20 with finding the young child. Elijah has dark blond hair and brown eyes, police said in a release.

鈥淗e was last seen wearing gray pants, long sleeve dark shirt and red and green dinosaur shoes. He is possibly carrying a red and white plaid blanket,鈥� the release .

In the days since, authorities have searched for the boy and have to 鈥渃heck anywhere a small child could hide, climb, or fall,鈥� check their property for any items belonging to Elijah, and check their surveillance systems from February 12 through February 20 for anyone matching the child鈥檚 description.

A 鈥渓arge search鈥� was ongoing at a landfill, and rivers also were being searched, police .

鈥淵ou will also continue to see large scale canvassing of areas in Manitowoc County, both urban and rural,鈥� Two Rivers police said.

During Monday鈥檚 hearing, Orson Vue,聽an uncle聽of the child, addressed the court and聽said the family asks聽both Baur and Vang be held 鈥渇ully accountable, for their actions, or lack thereof.鈥�

鈥淎fter reading just a few things from the criminal complaint, these two individuals should not be allowed to walk freely amongst us until we find where Elijah is,鈥� he said.

A preliminary hearing for Baur and Vang is scheduled for March 7.

The-CNN-Wire

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