Missing Elijah Vue’s red and white blanket found four miles from last known location

Two Rivers Police Department said on Monday that officers had identified the blanket, which was found on Goodwin Road, east of County Road B in Manitowoc County, earlier in the investigation.

The three-year-old was said to have been carrying the blanket when he vanished on 20 February.

Officers said the blanket was found 3.7 miles away from the apartment where Elijah had been staying in Two Rivers, a town on the shore of Lake Michigan in Wisconsin.

“We continue to request the public’s assistance in checking all urban and rural areas, including water, to find Elijah and locate any evidence related to his disappearance,” Chief Ben Meinnert said on Facebook.

A reward of up to $40,000 is on offer for anyone with information that leads to the arrest and charging of individuals responsible for Elijah’s disappearance.

The little boy was reported missing by his mother’s boyfriend, Jesse Vang, just before 11am that Tuesday. The 39-year-old had gone for a nap at 8am and woke up to find Elijah gone.

Katrina Baur had reportedly sent her son to live with Mr Vang for “disciplinary reasons”, with the boy subjected to lengthy time-outs and threats of cold water if he misbehaved.

Both Ms Baur, 31, and Mr Vang are being held on child neglect charges. So far, neither has admitted to any involvement in Elijah’s disappearance.

Elijah is described as being of Hmong and white ethnicity, about three feet tall and having brown hair and brown eyes. He has a birthmark on his left knee.

The search, now entering its fifth week, has been aided by numerous volunteers from across the Manitowoc County area, as well as the FBI and state police.

In a separate update on Monday, Two Rivers Police Department asked that volunteers only search publicly accessible areas.

“Since our last post there have been a number of issues with individuals trespassing on private land,” the department said on Facebook. “Please do not enter private land unless you have received permission.

“Law enforcement has already thoroughly searched many areas of interest on private land with the permission of property owners.”