Elijah Vue's mother, her boyfriend appear in court for charges connected to 3-year-old's death

 

TWO RIVERS, Wis. (CBS 58) -- Weeks after the body of 3-year-old Elijah Vue was found, his mother and her boyfriend are now facing stronger charges. This, after the medical examiner ruled the young child's death as a homicide.

Elijah's mother, Katrina Baur, and her boyfriend, Jesse Vang, were both in court for a preliminary hearing Friday afternoon with those upgraded charges. 

They've been behind bars for months on charges of child neglect.

Now, Baur is facing charges of chronic neglect -- consequence is death, child neglect and obstructing an officer. 

Vang is being charged with physical abuse of a child -- repeated acts, causing death, hiding a corpse and obstructing an officer. 

Cash bail of $500,000 was set, and no contact with kids under 18.

A child abuse pediatrician called what Elijah endured "torture," facing sleep deprivation, cold showers, and standing for up to three hours at a time as a punishment, multiple times a day. 

The community is still grieving the loss of Elijah, and they want justice.

"They should be behind bars for the rest of their lives," said Misty Decker of Two Rivers. 

"I just hope that it's fair and he gets what's coming to him," said Kevin Lammers, Manitowoc County. "It's not right to be picking on a small child."

They are due back in court Monday, Oct. 21.