It has been nearly two years since 3-year-old Elijah Vue first vanished from an apartment in Two Rivers, Wisconsin. For months, the community held out hope. They searched fields, scanned rivers, and hung blue ribbons on every porch. But today, the conversation has shifted from a frantic search to a slow-grinding legal battle.
If you are looking for an Elijah Vue update today, the reality is both somber and frustratingly technical.
The case is currently stuck in the "discovery" phase of the legal system. This is the part where lawyers trade thousands of pages of evidence, digital records, and lab results. It isn't flashy, but it's where the trial will be won or lost.
🔗 Read more: Who Will Most Likely Be the Next Pope: The Cardinals to Watch in 2026
The Courtroom Reality in 2026
Earlier this month, attorneys for Jesse Vang and Katrina Baur met with a Manitowoc County judge to figure out when this thing actually goes to trial. Honestly, if you were expecting a quick resolution, the news is a bit of a letdown.
Jesse Vang’s defense team recently told the court they are finally finishing their review of the evidence. They have a deadline in late March 2026 to file their formal motions. After that, the state gets to respond. We won’t even see them back in court for a major hearing until May.
Katrina Baur—Elijah’s mother—is in a similar boat. Her lawyer is still wading through the massive amount of data the state has piled up. They’re trying to keep her case on the same timeline as Vang’s, but there is no guarantee they’ll be tried together.
It's a waiting game.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Discovery
People often ask why it takes years to get to trial when the remains were found back in late 2024. It feels like an open-and-shut case to the public, but the legal bar is much higher.
💡 You might also like: The Zachary Zulock and William Zulock Case: What Really Happened
Basically, the prosecution has to prove "chronic neglect" and "hiding a corpse" beyond a reasonable doubt. To do that, they aren't just using the fact that Elijah was found on a private hunting property three miles from Vang’s home. They are using:
- Deleted Facebook messages between Baur and Vang.
- GPS data from Vang's vehicle the night before the disappearance.
- Forensic analysis of a suitcase found near a St. Vincent de Paul.
The defense needs time to challenge every single one of those points. If the state says a message was "deleted," the defense wants to know exactly how it was recovered and if the context was stripped away. It's tedious work.
The Details That Still Haunt the Case
We can't talk about the current status without acknowledging the "torture" allegations that came to light in the criminal complaints.
Investigators found photos on Vang’s phone that were—to put it mildly—horrific. One image reportedly showed Elijah blindfolded and covered in bruises. Detective Michael Herrmann testified that the toddler was forced to stand for hours as "discipline."
Katrina Baur allegedly sent her son to Vang for this "boot camp" style training to address behavioral issues. The state is arguing that this wasn't just bad parenting; it was a pattern of abuse that led directly to his death.
Current Charges Summary
- Jesse Vang: Facing life in prison. Charges include physical abuse of a child, repeated acts causing death, hiding a corpse, and obstructing an officer.
- Katrina Baur: Facing up to 60 years. Charges include chronic neglect of a child resulting in death and obstructing an officer.
The Mystery of the Hunting Property
One of the weirdest parts of this case is where Elijah was found. A deer hunter stumbled across his remains in September 2024 on private land near a quarry.
What’s wild is that law enforcement and volunteers had already searched that area several times.
💡 You might also like: Robert Brooks Body Cam Footage: What Really Happened Behind Closed Doors
How did they miss him? The underbrush was thick, sure. But the proximity to Vang's home—only about three miles away—makes the discovery feel like it should have happened sooner. The medical examiner eventually ruled the death a homicide by "unspecified means." Because the remains were skeletal by the time they were found, pinpointing a single cause of death is incredibly difficult for the state.
What Happens Next?
If you're following this closely, keep your eyes on the May 2026 status conference. That is when we will likely get a firm trial date.
Until then, both Vang and Baur remain behind bars. Vang is held on a $500,000 cash bond, and Baur is held on $400,000. Neither seems likely to walk out before the trial begins.
Actionable Insights for Following the Case:
- Monitor the Manitowoc County Court Records: Use the Wisconsin Circuit Court Access (CCAP) to see real-time filings for cases 2024CF000164 and 2024CF000165.
- Ignore Social Media Rumors: Stick to local outlets like FOX6 Milwaukee or WBAY, which have reporters physically in the courtroom for every hearing.
- Watch for Motion Rulings: In March and April 2026, the judge will decide what evidence (like the "torture" photos) is actually allowed to be shown to a jury. Those rulings will dictate how strong the state’s case really is.