The weekslong search for Wisconsin 3-year-old Elijah Vue continues as court documents reveal shocking details, the toddler's mother faces criminal charges and local and federal agencies across the U.S. join forces.

Elijah went missing from a home in Two Rivers, a city in Manitowoc County, Wisconsin, on the morning of Feb. 20, Two Rivers police said in a Facebook post.

Now Elijah's mother, Katerina Baur, 31, and her boyfriend, Jesse Vang, 39, have been charged with felony child neglect, police said.

Manitowoc County District Attorney Jacalyn LaBre said Baur had sent Elijah to stay with Vang in Two Rivers for "disciplinary purposes." When questioned by police, Baur lied and said she was staying at her home in Wisconsin Dells and not in Two Rivers when Elijah went missing, according to LaBre.

"She intentionally sent that child for disciplinary reasons for more than a week to the residence,” LaBre said in a statement to the court. “She was aware of the tactics (Vang) used and the lack of care (he) provided."

Criminal complaint says Baur sent Elijah to stay with Vang to learn how to 'be a man'

A criminal complaint obtained by the Manitowoc Herald Times Reporter, part of the USA TODAY Network, may have shed some light on how Elijah was treated while staying with Vang.

When questioned, Vang told police he ordered Elijah to stand next to his bed and pray before the toddler's disappearance, according to the complaint. When Vang woke up from his sleep three hours later, he said Elijah was gone so he called 911, the complaint continued.

Vang and Baur are described as being in a relationship, the complaint says.

Baur dropped Elijah off at Vang's home Feb.12 and he was supposed to be returned to his mother's home in Wisconsin Dells by Feb. 23, according to the complaint.

Vang told Two Rivers police on the morning Elijah disappeared, he saw the toddler sleeping on a sofa in the living room, the court documents show. Vang then woke Elijah up, made him cereal to eat, but did not change the boy's diaper, the complaint says. This occurred right before Vang made Elijah pray by his bed.

According to the complaint, Vang told police he forced Elijah to stand up for two to three hours without sitting as a form of punishment and threatened the boy with cold water. Vang explained to officers how he was "correcting (Elijah's) bad behaviors," the court records show.

During Baur's interview with police, she told officers Elijah was sent to Vang's home to learn to "how to be man," the complaint says.

Community joined federal, local agencies in searching for Elijah

Two Rivers police, with assistance from local and federal agencies, continue to look high and low for Elijah but to no avail.

"We continued our search efforts through the weekend," Two Rivers police said March 11 in a Facebook post.

With the help of Two Rivers Fire, the police department followed up on leads and searched local waterways and other rural areas, the social post said. Police also followed up on tips and leads, including reviewing large amounts of video that was submitted.

Police are asking the public to search for security footage from Feb. 19 showing a 1997 four-door beige-colored Nissan Altima with a Wisconsin registration beginning with "A" and ending with "0." The vehicle may be connected to Elijah's disappearance.

Reward for information leading to Elijah's whereabouts increased to $40,000

A reward for anyone with information leading to Elijah's whereabouts was increased to $40,000, police said in its Facebook post.

To increase the $40,000 reward, the public can donate at the Two Rivers Police Department or the agency's designated website. The public accounts for $15,000 of the $40,000 reward, police said.

In addition to the $40,000, Crime Stoppers is offering a $10,000 reward for anyone "with information leading to the discovery of Elijah or the arrest and charging of the individual/s responsible for his disappearance," according to the social post. Donations to increase the $10,000 award can be made in person at the Two Rivers Police Department or by mail to Manitowoc County Crime Stoppers Inc 1025 S 9th St Manitowoc, WI 54220. Around $15,000 of the reward

The FBI is also offering a $15,000 reward for information leading to the whereabouts and return of Elijah Vue and/or the arrest and conviction of the individual/s involved in his disappearance, police said.

Contributing: Christopher Cann for USA TODAY. Brand Reid for the Sheboygan Press. Alisa M. Schafer for the Herald Times Reporter.

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