The mother of a three-year-old Wisconsin boy who vanished a week ago has been formally charged with child neglect in connection with his disappearance.
A man her son was staying with was also charged with child neglect.
Elijah Vue was last seen on February 20 at a residence in Two Rivers, where prosecutors said his mother had sent him to stay with the man. Searches by police and residents have so far not located Elijah.
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His mother, Katrina Baur, 31, of Wisconsin Dells, was formally charged in Manitowoc County with one felony count of party-to-a-crime child neglect and two misdemeanour counts of resisting or obstructing an officer.
She was being held on a $US15,000 ($A23,000) cash bond.
The man Elijah had been staying with, Jesse Vang, 39, of Two Rivers, was formally charged with one felony count of party-to-a-crime child neglect. He was being held on a $20,000 ($30,800) cash bond.
Both Baur and Vang have made their initial court appearances, during which preliminary hearings were set for March 7.
Manitowoc County District Attorney Jacalyn LaBre said Baur had sent Elijah to stay with Vang for disciplinary purposes and she was not in Two Rivers when Elijah disappeared, WBAY-TV reported.
Baur told police she had left Elijah with Vang on February 12 because she wanted him to teach her son “to be a man”.
She said she had intended to pick him up on February 23, the station reported, citing a criminal complaint.
Vang called police on February 20 and reported Elijah missing, telling police he had taken a nap that morning and brought Elijah in the bedroom with him but when he awoke some three hours later the boy was gone, the complaint states.
Vang told police he was in a relationship with Bauer and had been trying to help with her son’s bad behaviour, according to the complaint.