A body was discovered over the weekend at the Wisconsin/Minnesota border, officials announced Saturday.
According to the Hudson Police Department, officers were summoned to investigate a body in the St. Croix River at around 8 a.m. Saturday. The body was located along Lakefront Park on the Wisconsin side of the river, positioned north of the I-94 bridge.
“This is an active investigation and we do not believe there are any threats or danger to the community regarding the incident,” police said.
Details are limited at this time.
Meanwhile, there has been no word whether the body was of an adult or a child. The discovery happened amid the desperate search for 3-year-old Elijah Vue, who vanished from the Two Rivers area in Wisconsin last month.
As CrimeOnline previously reported, Elijah was last seen on February 20 at an apartment in the 3900 block of Mishicot Road. Police said no family members or other “associates” were in the area at the time, but Jesse Vang was arrested after his disappearance, along with the child’s mother, Katrina Baur.
A criminal complaint says that Vang reported the child missing, claiming that he brought Elijah into a bedroom with him at around 8 a.m., and ordered him to stand next to the bed and pray. Vang claimed he fell asleep and when woke up three hours later, the child was gone.
Vang said he had been in a relationship with Baur and said Elijah had been staying with him because he “had behaviors,” the criminal complaint stated.
Baur, who lived around 100 miles away, previously told investigators she’d left the child with Vang “for disciplinary reasons” and to teach the 3-year-old how to “be a man.” She reportedly dropped the child off with Vang on February 12 and had plans to pick him up on February 23.
Vang is now facing a child neglect charge and Baur is charged with being a party to the crime. Vang’s bail has been set at $20,000 cash, while Baur’s bail has been set at $15,000 cash.
Police have requested assistance from local, state, and federal sources using dogs, drones, and personnel. They are also asking residents and business owners to continue to check surveillance cameras for any images or videos of Elijah.
Elijah is described as being of Hmong and white ethnicity with dark blond hair and brown eyes. He stands 3 feet tall, weighs between 35 and 40 pounds, and has a birthmark on his left knee.
He was last seen wearing gray pants, a long-sleeved, dark shirt, and red and green dinosaur slip-on shoes. He may have been carrying a red and white plaid blanket.
“Everyone has seen that kid’s photo. It’s pulling at everyone’s heartstrings. Somebody knows something,” Manitowoc County Sheriff’s Dan Hartwig said.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the state tip line at 844-267-6648, Two Rivers police at 920-686-7200, or the P3 app for anonymous tips.
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[Feature Photo via Pixabay]
