The Misery Machine - The Case of Elijah Vue

Episode Date: January 23, 2025

This week, Drewby and Yergy head to Wisconsin to discuss the case of Elijah Vue, an adorable little boy who never had a chance. After his mother, Katrina Baur, began leaving him with her boyfriend, Jesse Vang, little Elijah was subjected to punishments for simply existing. On February 20, 2024, Jesse called 911 to report Elijah missing. Into wouldn't be until autumn that Elijah's skeletal remains would be discovered by a hunter.  Support Our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/themiserymachine PayPal: https://www.paypal.me/themiserymachine Join Our Facebook Group: https://t.co/DeSZIIMgXs?amp=1 Instagram: miserymachinepodcast Twitter: misery_podcast Discord: https://discord.gg/kCCzjZM #themiserymachine #podcast #truecrime Source Material: Two Rivers, Wisconsin - Wikipedia Elijah N. Vue, (2020 - 2024) - ForeverMissed.com Online Memorials Missing 3-year-old: Caregiver faced charges relating to human trafficking in 2016 | KRDO  Elijah Vue was Blindfolded and Bruised in Now-Deleted Photo on Mom’s Phone | WTAQ News Talk Missing 3-year-old: Katrina Baur's mother asks court to deny bail modification Jesse Vang faced charges relating to human trafficking in 2016 A timeline of missing 3-year-old Elijah Vue, discovery of his remains Full News Conference: Remains found in WI identified as 3-year-old Elijah Vue Elijah Vue dead: Two Rivers police confirm remains found | FOX6 Milwaukee What to know about the missing Two Rivers boy Elijah Vue Mother of 3-year-old Elijah Vue, partner charged in connection with child's death Reward now $40K in case of Elijah Vue, missing toddler last seen over 3 weeks ago in Wisconsin Bones found in Wisconsin confirmed to be those of missing 3-year-old boy Elijah Vue - CBS Chicago 4th birthday party held for missing Wisconsin boy Elijah Vue Search for Elijah Vue, 3, broadens in Wisconsin following his mother's arrest Search for Elijah Vue continues as police give update on vehicle of interest

Elijah Vu was born on August 20th, 2020, in Two Rivers, Wisconsin to parents Katrina Bauer in Jimmy Vu. Elijah was an adorable little boy with sandy brown hair, big brown eyes, and a bright smile. He had an older sister, although not much is known about her. Long before becoming a mother, 27-year-old Katrina faced personal struggles of her own, rooted in poverty, substance use, and romantic relationships. According to those who knew her, Katrina's life changed for the worse when she started dating a man named Jesse Vang. Jesse was a career criminal with prior convictions that include disorderly conduct, weapons charges, and more. Katrina, who was a woman who long grappled with low self-esteem and minimal self-worth,

found herself becoming more and more codependent on Jesse's time went on. Though the relationship was toxic from the very start, Katrina always seemed to find herself back in Jesse's arms, afraid to leave a tumultuous comfort that she sadly became accustomed to. One example came four years before her son Elijah was born. In November of 2015, Katrina, Elijah's father, Jimmy, and her boyfriend, Jesse, had rented a room at the American Inn Motel in Appleton, Wisconsin. Following an alleged assault, Katrina retreated to the bathroom where she dialed 911.

When police arrived, she reported that the two men threatened her life and stated that she was their property. allegedly, Jimmy and Jesse had planned to transport Katrina to a location outside Minneapolis. According to Katrina, the plan was to traffic her so that Jimmy and Jesse could both profit in receiving drugs and money for her. Following the incident, Katrina's boyfriend was arrested and charged with human trafficking. However, after pleas made by Katrina to the courts, the charges were later dropped. Jesse did see jail time for unrelated drug charges around the same time, but he was released in 2022. As for Jimmy Voo, no public record indicates that he was ever charged following the hotel incident.

However, also in 2022, Katrina pressed charges against him when he failed to pay child support. Like Jesse, Jimmy also had a well-documented criminal history, including CA charges. Following the child support charges, Elijah's father was arrested in 2023 and ordered to serve prison time. Now, leading up to this point, Katrina had been romantically involved with both men. And while there were disputes over who Elijah's biological father was after he was born, a paternity test ultimately confirmed that Jimmy, not Jesse, was Elijah's father. Needless to say, Elijah was placed in a volatile environment from the very beginning. While Katrina struggled to provide for the boy while dating Jesse,

Elijah was described as a happy and curious child who brought joy to those who knew him. Family members recall his playful spirit, his love for toy cards, in his fondness for bedtime lullabies. But beneath the surface of what could have been confused for an ordinary upbringing, the looming instability within the home life only set the stage for what would eventually become a heartbreaking end. While Elijah's father was behind bars,

Katrina and Jesse continued dating, traveling back and forth from Wisconsin Dells where Katrina lived to two rivers where Jesse resided. The drive is over two and a half hours long. For long, Katrina began taking the long trek north with Elijah, leaving her now three-year-old boy in Jesse's care for extended periods. Katrina's struggles with addiction seemed to complicate her life even further, not to mention

her ability to care for Elijah. The warning signs were clear and numerous. Short time later, neighbors reported seeing baby Elijah standing in corners for long periods of time and crying. The windows of Katrina's Wisconsin-Dell's apartment often had the shades drawn up, where onlookers could easily see in the... inside what was going on. On one occasion, a neighbor described hearing yelling coming from inside the home, which they believed were obvious punishments being doled out to baby Elijah. By all

accounts, similar forms of reprimand demonstrated by Jesse continued until one day, three-year-old Elijah mysteriously vanished. At 10.59 a.m. on February 20th, 2024, then 39-year-old Jesse called 911 to report Elijah missing. When police responded to the call, Jesse told him he had fallen asleep while babysitting the child and woke up to find him gone. When officers further examined the apartment located on Michiquot Road and Two Rivers,

they immediately noticed there were no signs of forced entry. Already suspicious of the child's caretaker, Jesse's statements to police would eventually unravel as they were a gross mischaracterization of what truly went on leading up to the boy's disappearance. Upon meeting with Jesse, an Amber Alert was immediately issued. After recovering surveillance footage,

investigators confirmed that Elijah was never seen leaving the apartment on the day in question. Authorities then began piecing together a timeline of events that painted a far grimmer picture than what Jesse had told them. Along with Jesse, Katrina came under immediate scrutiny. According to Katrina's statements to police, she had dropped Elijah off with Jesse and finally, Fondolac, Wisconsin on February 12, 2024. This instantly set off alarm bells to investigators, as they already knew Jesse lived in two rivers,

which is an hour north of Fondalac. Regardless, Katrina went on to say that she thought everything was fine and that Elijah was in good hands and had no knowledge whatsoever that her son was even missing. Meanwhile, investigators worked to obtain warrants to examine the cell phone records of both Jesse and Katrina. Location data from their devices ultimately contradicted both. of their claims. As the investigation into Elijah Vu's disappearance deepened, the disturbing realities of his

life with Katrina and Jesse came to light. What initially seemed like a simple custody arrangement began to unravel, exposing a web of neglect, violence, and deception. The first break in the case came from Katrina's own cell phone records. Investigators discovered that on February 14th, at approximately 2.30 a.m., Katrina arrived at Jessie's apartment into Rivers. Katrina's six-year-old daughter was with her that morning, waiting alone in the car while temperatures plunged to his lowest 27 degrees Fahrenheit.

Investigators also unearthed a photo that had been taken at 3.13 a.m. for Katrina's phone, but was deleted one hour later. The image ultimately recovered by forensics showed Elijah lying on the bed blindfolded. The images showed Elijah's small frame, riddled with visible. visible bruises on his jaw, neck, and upper arm. The cell phone data also indicated that Katrina left to Rivers, Wisconsin at 4.30 a.m. Two days later, on February 16th,

Katrina's cell phone indicated that she returned to Manitowoc County. That morning, surveillance footage from Ross Auto Service captured Jesse bringing Elijah into the shop. Shop owner described Elijah as quiet, but that he showed no signs of distress. Further examination of the cell phone data indicated that on February 17th, Katrina returned to Jesse's apartment in two rivers, arriving just after midnight. Cell phone data tracking showed that the two briefly traveled to Manitowoc County before

heading back to the apartment together. On the following day, February 18th, text messages between Katrina and Jesse revealed even more when Jesse wrote, and I quote, Trust me, I'm going to make sure he hates me and being here. Katrina then replied with, don't want him to hate you, just fear you. In response, Jesse wrote, he did fear me, but he didn't respect me. Now I'm making him respect me. Police issued a public plea for information about a beige 1997 Nissan Ultima seen in the area on February 19th between 2 p.m. and 9 p.m.

While neither Jesse nor Katrina owned the vehicle, authorities believed this was the vehicle that they were traveling in. As the case gained national attention, the FBI offered a $15,000 reward for information leading to Elijah or those responsible for his disappearance. Less than one day after Jesse reported Elijah missing, Jesse and Katrina were both taken into custody on February 21st, 2024. During his police interview, Jesse made several admissions that revealed the horrifying extent of the violence three-year-old Elijah Vu endured under his care. Jesse openly described the methods he used to discipline Elijah, which he referred to as boot camp.

These included forcing Elijah to stand for extended periods, sometimes as long as two to three hours, as part of what he called a timeout. Jesse explained that this was intended to teach the child respect, though it left Elijah visibly exhausted. When Elijah attempted to sit during these punishments, Jesse would threaten him by asking, Do you want cold water? A reference to another form of punishment in which he would force Elijah to take freezing showers, which many of you have noticed is a form of violence that these monsters we discuss seem to really enjoy. Jesse admitted that Elijah was terrified of these punishments,

but he dismissed his fear, insisting that it was necessary to discipline the boy. Jesse further admitted to restricting Elijah's access to toys and playtime. He described how Elijah had only one toy, which was a Christmas gift, but he was forbidden from playing with it during his stay with him because he was in time out. Jesse also confessed a gross neglect of Elijah's basic needs, including hygiene, stating that he changed Elijah's diaper only once per day and failed to provide consistent care. The day before the child was reported missing, Jesse told investigators that he did not change the boy's diaper. Instead, Elijah was given cereal without milk for breakfast and placed in another punishment session, standing by Jesse's bed and ordering the boy to pray. Concerns only grew when Jesse spoke about how he previously locked Elijah inside his apartment while he took his teenage son to the school bus, including using multiple locks with a security chain to prevent Elijah from leaving. Jesse also confessed that on the night of February 19th, he drank three 12-ounce Budwisers

and took the muscle relaxer cyclobenzaprine as a sleep aide. He acknowledged that this left him groggy and inattentive the following morning. Throughout the interview, Jesse attempted to rationalize his actions, portraying them as efforts to teach Elijah a lesson and make him, and I quote, understand that going home to his mother would be a privilege. Katrina's interrogation revealed critical details about her role in the neglect in violence as well. Throughout her interview, Katrina's statements were inconsistent, raising further suspicions about her involvement and awareness of the violence Elijah endured.

When confronted with cell phone data, Katrina ultimately admitted that she had visited Jesse's apartment on multiple occasions, including February 16th and February 17th. This, of course, contradicted her original statement. where she claimed to have last seen Elijah on the 12th. Now, during these visits, she left Elijah in Jesse's care, knowing Jesse's disciplinary methods including forstanding, cold showers, and isolation. Katrina also admitted that she relied on Jesse as the enforcer of discipline. She described how she struggled to handle Elijah's behavior on her own and turned to Jesse for help.

She acknowledged that she was aware of some of his disciplinary tactics. While she claimed to have set boundaries on what forms of discipline were acceptable, she also admitted she was fine with whatever methods Jesse used, as long as they improved Elijah's behavior. Investigators then pressed Katrina on the text messages exchanged between her and Jesse, which detailed instances of violence. In one exchange on February 17, 2024, Jesse expressed frustration over Elijah soiling his diaper

and described giving him a cold shower as a punishment. He acknowledged in text messages to Katrina that Elijah was scared after the punishment, but justified it by saying the child was clean now. Also in messages, Jesse referred to Elijah as a project, reportedly using phrases like, do you want cold water as threats to course obedience? It's important to note that Katrina did not express alarm or show signs of intervention during any of these messages. Instead, she appeared to condone the punishment. When asked about her reaction to Jesse's messages, Katrina claimed that she was trying to trust Jesse's judgment, though she admitted to feeling uncomfortable with some of his actions.

Her failure to protect Elijah, despite knowing the extent of Jesse's violent methods, ultimately demonstrate her culpability in the crime. Following their respective interviews, Jesse and Katrina were formally arrested. Jesse was charged with child neglect and his bond was set to $500,000. $2,000. Katrina was charged with felony chronic neglect of a child as a party to a crime, two counts of resisting or obstructing an officer, and one count of child neglect. Her bond was later set at $250,000 cash. As the hours turned in to days, the search for the missing boy expanded beyond the apartment

and into the surrounding community. Despite all of this newfound evidence, Elijah was still missing, and both his mother and the man who last saw the boy continued to claim they had no idea where he was. Then on March 18th, authorities discovered Elijah's red and white plaid blanket approximately 3.7 miles away from the apartment building where he was last reported seen. Shortly after, the award money offered by police was officially raised to $40,000. As the search efforts persisted, Elijah's fourth birthday was honored with a community event in Appleton, Wisconsin on August 24, 2024. Meanwhile, Captain Andrew Ratz,

took to Facebook to address circulating rumors suggesting that Elijah Vu had been found. He firmly dismissed the claims as false, emphasizing the importance of relying on official updates and accurate and verified information. Despite the suspect's version of events, cell phone data doesn't lie, which led investigators to reevaluate their search, focusing on two rivers Wisconsin. Law enforcement officers aided by community volunteers scoured local parks, wooded areas, and waterways. Dense force in the winding paths of the West Two Rivers region were thoroughly examined with searchers utilizing drones, canine units, and divers to cover every possible area where

Elijah might be found. But despite their efforts, there was no sign of him. Meanwhile, Jesse and Katrina remained in custody at the Manitowoc County Jail. Nearly eight months after Elijah was reported missing, a deer hunter in a secluded, wooded area near two rivers made a grim discovery. On September 7th, 2024, around 8 a.m., skeletal remains were found in thick vegetation in West 2 rivers, just north of the Manitou Girl Scout camp. The remains included a small human skull and bones. Most notably, the location where the victim was found was approximately three miles from Jesse's apartment. Authorities confirmed on September 13, 2024, that the remains belonged to a three-year-old. It was Elijah. Following the discovery, Jesse was charged with first-degree intentional homicide, CA resulting in death, and hiding a corpse.

Prompting an upgrade to his bond now set at $1 million. While Katrina's charges in bond remain the same, the autopsy of three-year-old Elijah Vu provided critical insights into the violence he suffered leading up to his tragic death. Forensic experts ultimately revealed the multiple healed fractures found both on Elijah's face, and his skull. Additionally, the medical examiner noted signs of malnutrition, consistent with prolonged neglect. At a preliminary hearing, Katrina's mother expressed deep concerns about her daughter's behavior and stability. She described her as a flight risk with a history of erratic

behavior. She urged the court not to release Katrina from custody, emphasizing the need for her to be held accountable. On the record, Katrina's mother also told the court that she herself had been the victim of her daughter's verbal and emotional mistreatment long before Elijah was killed. During the hearing, it was also revealed that Jesse's teenage son, who was autistic, was present in the household. Jesse mentioned taking his son to the bus stop on the morning of Elijah's disappearance, highlighting the complex family dynamics at play. While both the state and the defense worked to build their case, both Jesse and Katrina entered pleas of not guilty in November of 2024. At the time of releasing this episode, both defendants are awaiting trial with no specific date currently

set. As always, Jesse and Katrina are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Elijah's death has left an incredible mark on his family and the Two Rivers community. Vigils were held in Elijah's honor, drawing hundreds of attendees who shared memories, prayed, and called for stronger protections for vulnerable children. Advocates have used this case as a rallying cry for reform. They emphasize the need for mandatory reporting, faster intervention in suspected CA cases, and better resources for at-risk families.

At this time, no official announcement regarding Elijah's funeral's date, time, or location have been released. In a statement, Elijah's aunt, Linda Vu, expressed gratitude for the community's support. She said, We understand that many of you want to honor Elijah in your own special ways, such as through memorial services or virtual vigils. Although our family has not been directly involved in the planning of these events,

we want you to know how much we appreciate the genuine love and thoughtfulness behind them. Elijah means so much to us, and seeing the impact he's had on others is both moving and comforting. Elijah Vu's story is a heartbreaking testament to the, importance of vigilance and compassion. His death must not be in vain. It is a call to action for all of us to protect the most vulnerable among us and ensure that no child endures the pain and neglect that Elijah faced. While the true terror of what Elijah endured in February of 2024 is still unclear, those details will surely come to light once Katrina Bauer and Jesse

Vang finally see their day in court.