The AMBER Alert affecting the family of a three-year-old Two Rivers boy is serving as a sobering reminder of what you should do when your child goes missing. As of Friday afternoon, the Two Rivers Police Department was still working with state and federal agencies to help bring home three-year-old Elijah Vue after issuing an AMBER Alert earlier in the week. The boy’s parents, Jesse Vang and Katrina Baur were arrested on an allegation of child neglect and were in Manitowoc County Court on Friday for bail hearings. Meanwhile, residents and emergency personnel have searched everywhere, hoping to find Elijah.
Sturgeon Bay Assistant Police Chief Dan Brinkman says a missing child case turns into an AMBER Alert based on three criteria: the child has to be 17 years or younger, be in danger of severe bodily harm or death, and there must be enough descriptive information about the child, suspect, and/or suspect vehicle to believe an immediate broadcast alert will help locate the child. Brinkman says the first 24 hours are crucial when helping find a child.
According to AMBER Alert Wisconsin, an average of seven children per day are reported missing to law enforcement throughout the state.
