02/24/2024
Release Date: February 22, 2024, 7:20 PM
We understand there are a lot of emotions involving the ongoing search for Elijah. Elijah has not been located and is still missing. We are working closely with state and federal agencies and we are only releasing information that we are able to without jeopardizing this ongoing and multifaceted investigation. Some might be frustrated, however everything we do is well thought out and planned in a combined effort with our main priority in locating Elijah.
The press briefing was to give facts and dispel rumors as well as to let you know that factual information will only come from the Two Rivers Police Department. TRPD will continue to update the community with any facts and information that are able to be shared. If Elijah is located, we will share that information.
Immediately after receiving the 911 call and based upon the circumstances, Officers began searching for Elijah while we contacted the WI Department of Criminal Investigations, the FBI, A Child is Missing, National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, we requested a missing and endangered alert, an Amber Alert, a Ring neighborhood alert, used local emergency alerts, contacted all municipal and county agencies for assistance, sent out Facebook requests for public assistance, brought in drones from Manitowoc Police Department and Manitowoc Sheriff’s Office, K9s from Manitowoc Police, Manitowoc Sheriff’s Office and Sheboygan Sheriff’s Office , an air search from WI Army National Guard as well as boats and UTVs from Two Rivers Fire Department and Manitowoc County Sheriff’s office.
We are exploring all possibilities to locate Elijah. We are into our third day of searches for Elijah and any assistance from the public will aid in our efforts.
Here are some things you can do to assist, even outside of Two Rivers:
• Check anywhere a small child could hide, climb, or fall.
• Check your own property for any items that don’t belong to you which could include anything from Elijah; the red, white and black plaid blanket; or dinosaur printed shoes.
• Check your surveillance systems from February 12th through February 20th. We usually look back several days from the report to ensure we are thorough. Look for anyone matching Elijah’s description in your surveillance footage. You can also search public land for the aforementioned items or anything you feel relevant to this investigation.
Please do not touch anything you find, but instead contact the tip line at 1-844-267-6648 or Two Rivers Police Dispatch at
1-920-686-7200 immediately.
You may have seen officers searching areas such as local rivers and landfills, and that is correct. We will leave no stone unturned. You will continue to see similar large-scale searches as we receive tips and continue our search for Elijah. For those of you who have shared information, thank you. As we learn more information we may recontact you for continued assistance.
We have a very large police presence in our community from local, state and federal authorities. We have no indication that any other children or individuals in the community are in danger. Authorities are working around the clock following up on tips and information that would lead us to finding Elijah. We have some of the best resources in the country that have descended on our community to help locate Elijah.
Jesse Vang and Katrina Baur have been arrested on an allegation of child neglect. Both Vang and Baur will have bail hearings at 12:45pm on Friday February 23, 2024 at the Manitowoc County Court House. Due to victim rights we cannot release any further information on these charges.
We will continue to update on the search for Elijah as we are able to do so. Factual and up to date information will only come from the Two Rivers Police Department via media release, our page or press conferences.
Thank you to everyone who has assisted in the search for Elijah and continues to search for Elijah as that remains our top priority. Thank you to the Two Rivers community and our local businesses for your cooperation and continued support.
Chief Ben Meinnert
Two Rivers Police Department
