Authorities have revealed chilling text messages a mom sent her partner about teaching her son how to "be a man" before the little boy's heartbreaking death.
As reported by NBC News, three-year-old Elijah Vue was reported missing on February 20 by his caretaker at the time, Jesse Vang, who was in a relationship with his mother, Katrina Baur.
Vang alleged to authorities that he noticed the toddler was missing when he woke up from a nap at his home in Two Rivers, Wisconsin, per The Independent.
Over the months, investigators scoured the city and recovered numerous pieces of evidence, including a plaid blanket that contained Elijah's DNA.
On September 7, the little boy's remains were discovered in a “thick wooded area” by a hunter “getting his land ready for the hunting season,” Benjamin Meinnert, Two Rivers chief of police, said, per CNN.
The area was reportedly 3 miles from Vang's residence, where the toddler was reportedly last seen.
The chief medical examiner of Fond du Lac County filed a report indicating that the three-year-old's cause of death was “homicide by unspecified means,” as cited by the outlet.
According to a complaint filed by Manitowoc County prosecutors, obtained by ABC 15 News, investigators uncovered disturbing text messages and photos between Elijah's mom and her boyfriend.
A heartbreaking picture shared between the couple over Facebook allegedly showed Elijah "standing in corner in diaper only, hands appear to be in a praying position and the diaper looks full".
The complaint also highlights a chilling conversation between the pair, dated to have taken place on February 17, in which Vang tells Baur he "is angry that [Elijah] overfilled his diaper with poop and pee," so he gave Elijah "a cold shower."
Vang noted in another message that the toddler "was clean but scared".
Another section of the complaint stated that on February 18, at approximately 4:36AM, Vang messaged Baur: "I told you to trust me... I'm a make sure he hates me and being here'. She responded: 'Don't want him to *hate* YOU. Just fear you'."
Vang replied: "It's ok. Someone had to be the bad person," to which the three-year-old's mom said: "I know but either way at he can fear you and respect you." Vang then responded that Elijah "did fear me..but he didn't respect me..now I'm making him respect me'".
Baur revealed in an interview with cops that her boyfriend was the "enforce[r] of the rules in the relationship" which is why she sent her child to "stay with" him.
In addition to this, she wanted Vang to teach [Elijah] by example on "how to be a man".
Elijah's mom is facing charges of chronic neglect of a child resulting in death, neglecting a child, and resisting or obstructing an officer, police announced.
Meanwhile, Vang has been charged with physical abuse of a child, repeated acts causing death, hiding a corpse, and resisting or obstructing an officer.
“Elijah was a young boy whose life was tragically cut short,” Manitowoc County District Attorney Jacalyn LaBre said.
“This has been a complex investigation, involving meticulous review of hundreds of pages of police reports, video evidence, and other materials. This is an incredibly tragic situation that has shaken our community," LaBre added.
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