Human remains found by deer hunter amid search for neglected young boy who went missing while in care of mom’s boyfriend, authorities say

A deer hunter encountered skeletal remains on private property in the city of Two Rivers, Wisconsin, on Saturday, say authorities, who declined to confirm if this is linked to the ongoing search for missing child Elijah Vue.

“This is an ongoing investigation, and we are unable to provide specific information regarding the race, sex, or age of the remains,” Manitowoc County Sheriff Dan Hartwig said in a statement while acknowledging the context of the discovery. “Determining the identity will be a lengthy process.”

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Elijah, who went missing at age 3 in February, was supposedly in the care of Jesse Vang, 39. Vang, the boyfriend of the child’s mother, allegedly told cops about last seeing Elijah at 8 a.m. on Feb. 20, and that he told him to pray as punishment, according to The Herald Times Reporter. He claimed to have fallen asleep and woke up almost three hours later to find that the 3-year-old was gone.

Elijah’s mother, Katrina Baur, 31, had allegedly put him in Vang’s care for discipline, and during the investigation, lied about her whereabouts amid the search.

“She intentionally sent that child for disciplinary reasons for more than a week to the residence,” Manitowoc District Attorney Jacalyn LaBre said, according to Green Bay Fox affiliate WLUK in February. “She was aware of the tactics used and the lack of care provided. This was an intentional thing by her. And, on at least two occasions, during the interviews she has provided false information on her whereabouts during the past week.”