WI WI - James Yoblonski, 13, took family's car, found on USH 12, may be in Devil's Lake State Park area, Baraboo, 12 Jun 2023 *reward*

35529d_aa5b4ad2ddca454e8948a616016265f9~mv2.jpg


Name: James Yoblonski
Age at Time of Disappearance: 12 years old
Height: 5'11"
Weight: 120 lbs
Hair Color: Brown
Eye Color: Blue
Sex: Male
Race: Caucasian

Date Missing: June 12, 2023
Missing from: Baraboo, Wisconsin
Age Now: 13 years old

He left his house early Monday morning on June 12, 2023, in the family’s vehicle. The vehicle was later found abandoned along USH 12 near the area of Devil's Lake State Park on the same day. He also took a handgun, but the Sauk County Sheriff’s Office indicated that he is not a threat to himself or others.

Any leads or information should be directed to:

Sauk County Sheriff’s Office
(608) 356-4895


WS Thread

NCMEC

NamUs
 
I don't think the cases are related, but here is JS's thread, if you want to post the photo there, too. You just have to note that you took the photo yourself. It's good to see that LE is busy with the cases.
 

Missing Sauk County boy has family ties to 31-year-old Appleton cold case Laurie Jean Depies​

A 13-year-old Sauk County boy who disappeared in or near Devil's Lake State Park has family ties to another case of a missing person in the Fox Cities. James Yoblonski, who went missing June 12, is a great-nephew of Andy Wegner, who is married to Laurie Depies' mother Mary Wegner.

LINK:

 
Dec 12, 2023 article - still missing


[…]

Anyone with information on James' whereabouts should call the Sauk County Sheriff's Office at 608-355-4495.

[…]
 
Thanks for posting.
This article said the F.B.I. is not currently involved in the case, and I find that really unfortunate.
I don't understand why not, especially as one of the theories thrown around involves abduction. Surely that's the FBI's wheelhouse? Unless they think, as I do, that James was not abducted.

MOO
 
Where was he for two hours between 12:52 a.m. and 3:00 a.m? James obviously knew he would be on surveillance video. How do we know someone didn't tell him to take those duffle bags and backpack from the house to another location to ensure that he was recorded on video? This could have been staged. It would be very easy to set up a campsite and make it appear he was staying there.
Time stamps on the videos show James driving away in the van nearly seven minutes after walking out of the house with a backpack and duffle bags at 12:52 a.m. on June 12.
Just after 3 a.m. that same morning, James arrived at his father’s golf cart business, and 54 minutes later, he drove away from the shop.

Have they determined what he was doing for those 54 minutes at his father's business?
Just after 3 a.m. that same morning, James arrived at his father’s golf cart business, and 54 minutes later, he drove away from the shop.

All the more reason that James wasn't the one who packed those items.
Some of the clothes discovered at the rural site were items James never wore, according to his father,

So James hung around the area and eluded LE while they searched for him? And then managed to tear down all those flyers? Why would the father not allow a reporter to see footage from the trail cams? What did he not want them to see?
“I’m thinking maybe it’s him (James),” Yoblonski said. “He was tearing them down so that nobody recognized him.”
After he set up trail cameras in the area, Yoblonski said, the flyers remained up. He declined to share footage from those cameras with a reporter.

IMO, he never hinted to anyone that he was leaving home because he had no intention of leaving home. IMO, everything revolves around his father's business, his vehicle, his combination to the safe and his safe, his gun and even his cellphone. And his 13 year old son was able to access them all without detection or suspicion and drive 20 miles in the dead of night and set up a campsite where he had never been before? And he was going to live off the grid where no one would find him and set up a campsite in a location that he'd never been to before and set it up right where he left the vehicle? Imo, he was set up by a person unknown who wanted the vehicle and campsite to be found. To fit the narrative. Another mature cunning person was involved. One who possibly coached James in how to make it look like he was doing all this on his own. An elaborate plan to ensure no one would look for him for very long if they thought he had run away. IMO, James was duped by this person.
The sheriff’s office has spoken with James’ three siblings and Schlitt, along with other family members, Bulin said, adding that none of them had information that could lead to James’ location.
Yoblonski said James never hinted at leaving home to him or his two brothers or sister.

IMO, James could have been coerced/forced into making the below statement. Conveniently the video doesn't show James face as he was saying it. That doesn't sound like something a 13 year old could say on his own. What's his 'fault'? Someone is behind this whole scenario.
He (William Yoblonski) starts by showing a video posted on Snapchat shortly after James went missing June 12. It shows the dashboard of the family's van, with James' voice saying: "For everyone who cares about me, it's not their fault. It's no one's fault. It's my fault." 'I just feel that in my heart that he’s alive,' says father of Wisconsin boy missing since June

Even his father says his son was forced to make that video.
Snapchat is where that dashboard video appeared – featuring words Bill Yoblonski is convinced his son was forced to say. "I'm sorry, people," the voice says. "I can't make it. I'm sorry."
 
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Did James ever use Snapchat before?
The use of the word "people" doesn't sound like a 13 year old.
I don't know about his other Snapchat use.

I do agree with you that a 13 year old child doesn't ordinarily use the term 'people'. Too impersonal, especially when directed at those with a close family relationship to himself. I'd expect a term like 'people' to be used by an authority figure directed at people under him. As in "People, listen up." IMO, I think James was groomed by an authority figure in his life. Someone close to the family or someone with enough knowledge of James' life that he can use it to groom him. "Grooming is when someone builds a relationship, trust and emotional connection with a child or young person so they can manipulate, exploit and abuse them. Children and young people who are groomed can be sexually abused, exploited or trafficked."

"For everyone who cares about me, it's not their fault. It's no one's fault. It's my fault."

IMO, this person has the child convinced that it's the child's fault. Victim-blaming reinforces the manipulative tactics that abusers use to control their victim; abusers tell survivors that it is their fault this is happening.

The makeshift campsite was between Highway 12 and Sauk Hill. Does anyone know exactly where? Was it close to the road and easily found? And what do they mean by 'makeshift'? Hastily thrown together? Temporary? Was it even used in any way? How come dogs didn't find any trail leading away from the campsite? Also, did LE go back with dogs and try to track James in the area where the missing posters were torn down?

sauk hill.png
 
My theory is that James is no longer with us. The campsite thing made sense when it was thought that he was trying to go off-grid but now that it seems debunked, that makes the campsite staged. And I'd think anyone taking off with James or James taking off himself would want to get going as soon as possible rather than put in time and effort to stage it. To me, it seems more something that someone would to do cover their tracks "after the fact."

That, and the missing gun. The gun might make sense if James had gone off-grid. But I don't see a runaway or kidnapper taking the time to drive to a place of business in a stolen vehicle and steal a gun just before they take off, let alone staying there for nearly an hour. I do see someone wanting to ditch a murder weapon, though.

It just all seems too iffy imo. What I picture is if a kid wants to run away, they take off ASAP, without all this meandering and messing around. Same with a predator, whether the situation is involuntary or voluntary to the child.

If the security cameras/Snapchat were manipulated, I'd be very surprised if the authorities don't already know it. My guess is they pretty much know what happened and are just waiting for that last piece of evidence to build a strong case. All MOO
 
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My theory is that James is no longer with us.
<modsnip> There's not one shred of evidence that he's deceased.

The campsite thing made sense when it was thought that he was trying to go off-grid but now that it seems debunked, that makes the campsite staged. And I'd think anyone taking off with James or James taking off himself would want to get going as soon as possible rather than put in time and effort to stage it. To me, it seems more something that someone would to do cover their tracks "after the fact."
My whole point was that James was coerced into doing the things he did and a lot of things that were 'pinned' on James were done by an adult. It's hard to believe a 13 year old has the smarts to do all those things without help from an adult. You think he did all those things just to commit suicide? I doubt it. And his statements don't make any sense
And my whole point was that this was a planned out 'disappearance' by a predator/groomer planning for a long term captivity. There are numerous incidents documented online where children have been held for many years by their sicko kidnappers.

That, and the missing gun. The gun might make sense if James had gone off-grid. But I don't see a runaway or kidnapper taking the time to drive to a place of business in a stolen vehicle and steal a gun just before they take off, let alone staying there for nearly an hour. I do see someone wanting to ditch a murder weapon, though.
The facts are that James did drive a stolen vehicle to his father's place of business. I don't know whether that gun was stolen from a safe at his father's business or a safe at his home. But a gun was stolen from one of his father's safes none-the-less. We also don't know that James was the one that took it. It's assumed he took it. We also don't know whether James can actually shoot a firearm. If he can't, why would he take it? We don't know that the gun is a murder weapon or even that it was ditched after it went missing. No evidence even points to such a theory.
 
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IMO, there is video evidence that he was struggling mentally, that he wanted to take a "break" from things, and that he drove there and took the gun.

But there is no evidence of a second party being involved. That's speculation. LE should actively pursue the possibility anyway, though.

I think a kid who at 13 would take a vehicle and drive it somewhere specific, take a gun with him, etc. would also do/say other things you wouldn't expect from a 13-year-old. He has had to try to "grow up too fast," JMO.

I may be wrong and do hope no adult is getting away with crimes against him. This is a mysterious one.
 
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The surveillance video of James leaving his home is going to be released on Thursday:

SAUK COUNTY, Wis. (WKOW) -- New video shows a Sauk County teen leaving his home. It was one of the last times he was seen.
In footage 27 News is sharing with the public for the very first time, then 13-year-old James Yoblonski is seen, alone, leaving his family's Reedsburg home roughly seven months ago.

Tune in to 27 News at 10 on Thursday as we dig deeper into James' disappearance.


ETA: I hope that someone from the sheriff's office will weigh in during this news story too. <modsnip: Rumor/hearsay is not allowed>
 
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The surveillance video of James leaving his home is going to be released on Thursday:

SAUK COUNTY, Wis. (WKOW) -- New video shows a Sauk County teen leaving his home. It was one of the last times he was seen.
In footage 27 News is sharing with the public for the very first time, then 13-year-old James Yoblonski is seen, alone, leaving his family's Reedsburg home roughly seven months ago.

Tune in to 27 News at 10 on Thursday as we dig deeper into James' disappearance.


ETA: I hope that someone from the sheriff's office will weigh in during this news story too. I am hearing they have a theory about where he is.

I wonder why it’s taken so long to release this.
 

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