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*

[FromGermany1]

Silly question, but has anyone seen a different picture of James? The only one I’ve seen has always looked fairly pixelated to me, not very clear. What would he look like now, maybe with longer hair?

I can’t remember, or locate right now, did they find the father’s cellphone? In the vehicle or at the campsite? I wonder why he took it with him if he didn’t plan to use it? Did he not have a cell phone of his own? Guess I’m a bit behind on details, although I have sure been trying to keep up.

Cops tracked James’ cellphone to an area near Sauk Hill and US Highway 12, where they found the van abandoned on the side of the road and the phone nearby the same day he was reported missing.

13-year-old James Yoblonski missing for more than a month, may be trying to live off the grid in Wisconsin

Sheriff deputies said that they believe James ran away from home to go on a survivalist mission.

nypost.com

 

[TwinkieDefense]

Thanks for the reply @FromGermany1. Appreciate it.

 

[EIM]

Cops tracked James’ cellphone to an area near Sauk Hill and US Highway 12, where they found the van abandoned on the side of the road and the phone nearby the same day he was reported missing.

13-year-old James Yoblonski missing for more than a month, may be trying to live off the grid in Wisconsin

Sheriff deputies said that they believe James ran away from home to go on a survivalist mission.

nypost.com

Didn't his dad say in that wgn interview that James took Dad's cell phone?

The details have never been real clear. I'm not sure if that's because dad's story keeps changing or what. I have the sense that our local law enforcement aren't very concerned that James is at risk and they are not doing much to look for him. If they are they are not making anything public.

I did drive through the area he went missing in earlier today. There were 3 vehicles parked at the bottom of the hill, on dnr land, and another one a bit farther down that belonged to a woman picking wildflowers. I wonder if any of them were looking for James.

 

[TwinkieDefense]

Rereading a couple of early artIcles, I stumbled across these two. (Words in bold and italics by me). This makes me wonder if James actually took one gun, two guns, or no guns. When did he drive to dad’s workplace? And why drive there, if he had already taken the gun from the home? Did he also take ammunition, how much, and from where? Were the guns under lock and key?

Are there any locals able to map the different locations and directions of travel - i.e., home to work, on to where the vehicle and cell were found, to the supposed campsite, etc? It‘s hard for me to picture how long it takes to get from place to place without knowing the areas he is believed to have traveled, and I am terrible with maps.

Here’s This June 14, 2023 article …

Day 3 begins in search for missing boy in Sauk Co.

The search for a missing teen in Sauk Co. resumed Wednesday as teams continued focusing on a wooded area off Highway 12 where a campsite was discovered the previous day.

www.nbc15.com

[…]

Meister revealed Monday night the family realized that, in addition to their van being taken, a handgun was missing from the home. Authorities have not determined for certain if Yoblanski has the weapon.

[…]

And a day later, this June 15, 2023 article …

Officials find potential clues during search for missing 13-year-old in Baraboo Bluffs

Law enforcement officers looking for missing Reedsburg 13-year-old James Yoblonski found signs of human activity while searching Baraboo bluffs make feel optimistic.

www.nbc15.com

[…]

James’ father William Yoblonski said he believes his 13-year-old son drove to his father’s work place and took a gun from that location for protection.

[…]

 

[SherryLock]

I thought James' alleged actions made sense when the theory was that James wanted to do the survival thing, alone in the woods. He'd have a clear use for a gun and he'd need the car to get to the camp and bring his things there with him.

But if the campsite was found to be staged, as it seems, then I don't think the theory of what happened makes sense anymore.

If James wanted to run away from home, why would he take the time for unnecessary complications: Packing up camping items, stealing his father's car and phone, driving to his father's place of business and stealing his father's gun from it, looping back around to the woods, setting up a decoy campsite, leaving the phone and the car there, and having a pre-arranged pickup by someone else for his final getaway or otherwise taking off?

It seems far more likely to me that he'd simply... go. Have whoever he was taking off with pick him up down the street or take off on his own.

I also don't think the above actions make much sense if James was coerced to leave. MOO

 

[SherryLock]

Double post

 

[TwinkieDefense]

I thought James' alleged actions made sense when the theory was that James wanted to do the survival thing, alone in the woods. He'd have a clear use for a gun and he'd need the car to get to the camp and bring his things there with him.

But if the campsite was found to be staged, as it seems, then I don't think the theory of what happened makes sense anymore.

If James wanted to run away from home, why would he take the time for unnecessary complications: Packing up camping items, stealing his father's car and phone, driving to his father's place of business and stealing his father's gun from it, looping back around to the woods, setting up a decoy campsite, leaving the phone and the car there, and having a pre-arranged pickup by someone else for his final getaway or otherwise taking off?

It seems far more likely to me that he'd simply... go. Have whoever he was taking off with pick him up down the street or take off on his own.

I also don't think the above actions make much sense if James was coerced to leave. MOO

I think your post makes a lot of sense @SherryLock.

 

[Oakie]

I thought James' alleged actions made sense when the theory was that James wanted to do the survival thing, alone in the woods. He'd have a clear use for a gun and he'd need the car to get to the camp and bring his things there with him.

But if the campsite was found to be staged, as it seems, then I don't think the theory of what happened makes sense anymore.

If James wanted to run away from home, why would he take the time for unnecessary complications: Packing up camping items, stealing his father's car and phone, driving to his father's place of business and stealing his father's gun from it, looping back around to the woods, setting up a decoy campsite, leaving the phone and the car there, and having a pre-arranged pickup by someone else for his final getaway or otherwise taking off?

It seems far more likely to me that he'd simply... go. Have whoever he was taking off with pick him up down the street or take off on his own.

I also don't think the above actions make much sense if James was coerced to leave. MOO

Yes. That story about him stealing a gun from his father's workplace....is pretty hard to believe. <modsnip: not victim friendly>

 

[EIM]

Rereading a couple of early artIcles, I stumbled across these two. (Words in bold and italics by me). This makes me wonder if James actually took one gun, two guns, or no guns. When did he drive to dad’s workplace? And why drive there, if he had already taken the gun from the home? Did he also take ammunition, how much, and from where? Were the guns under lock and key?

Are there any locals able to map the different locations and directions of travel - i.e., home to work, on to where the vehicle and cell were found, to the supposed campsite, etc? It‘s hard for me to picture how long it takes to get from place to place without knowing the areas he is believed to have traveled, and I am terrible with maps.

Here’s This June 14, 2023 article …

Day 3 begins in search for missing boy in Sauk Co.

The search for a missing teen in Sauk Co. resumed Wednesday as teams continued focusing on a wooded area off Highway 12 where a campsite was discovered the previous day.

www.nbc15.com

[…]

Meister revealed Monday night the family realized that, in addition to their van being taken, a handgun was missing from the home. Authorities have not determined for certain if Yoblanski has the weapon.

[…]

And a day later, this June 15, 2023 article …

Officials find potential clues during search for missing 13-year-old in Baraboo Bluffs

Law enforcement officers looking for missing Reedsburg 13-year-old James Yoblonski found signs of human activity while searching Baraboo bluffs make feel optimistic.

www.nbc15.com

[…]

James’ father William Yoblonski said he believes his 13-year-old son drove to his father’s work place and took a gun from that location for protection.

[…]

From the home to dad's place of work is about a 20 minute drive. From dad's work to where the van was found is about a half hour drive, probably less at the later hour James was allegedly going that way when there's little traffic.

I don't feel comfortable making a map and specifying where they live, where dad works. But those are the travel times between those locations.

It kind of seems to me like dad was maybe just spitballing theories at first, like "a gun is missing, I think maybe James has it" or "he's been talking about living off the land, I think he's going to try it and that's why he left". It does not make sense to me if he wanted to try living off the land, why he'd take the van and drive to that place. He could have just left on foot from his house and reached Mirror Lake State Park or other dnr owned wilderness areas in 5 minutes.

It does not seem to me like law enforcement or his dad is acting like this is an actual missing child case. I think there is other key information they have that is not being shared that is making them act this way. And if this is true then I am not sure what to think, because James abandoning the vehicle where he did makes no sense.

 

[TwinkieDefense]

Thanks for the distances and times involved @EIM. Does seem odd to do all that scurrying and driving around when he could have just walked five minutes to get to the wilderness.

 

[FromGermany1]

Thanks for the distances and times involved @EIM. Does seem odd to do all that scurrying and driving around when he could have just walked five minutes to get to the wilderness.

Did he have too much luggage perhaps?

 

[Curiousobserver]

From the home to dad's place of work is about a 20 minute drive. From dad's work to where the van was found is about a half hour drive, probably less at the later hour James was allegedly going that way when there's little traffic.

I don't feel comfortable making a map and specifying where they live, where dad works. But those are the travel times between those locations.

It kind of seems to me like dad was maybe just spitballing theories at first, like "a gun is missing, I think maybe James has it" or "he's been talking about living off the land, I think he's going to try it and that's why he left". It does not make sense to me if he wanted to try living off the land, why he'd take the van and drive to that place. He could have just left on foot from his house and reached Mirror Lake State Park or other dnr owned wilderness areas in 5 minutes.

It does not seem to me like law enforcement or his dad is acting like this is an actual missing child case. I think there is other key information they have that is not being shared that is making them act this way. And if this is true then I am not sure what to think, because James abandoning the vehicle where he did makes no sense.

I have been following this case for some time.

I agree it isn't getting the attention is should be for the public facts we have heard.

I think there is someone else involved that is known to LE and the family.

 

[Happypetitvieux01]

I'm often wondering why someone as young as James would in 2023 go on survivalist crusade?
LE said he did online searching on how to quit the State. But LE didn't say anything about other kind of online search.
Was he also searching on survivalism and other subjects? Would a very young guy begins that journey based only on two books ? Is survivalism the way he found to flee, not the reason why he is missing?
IMO you don't go survivalist at 13 year-old only for fun or for the thrill.
You have a good reason to go that extrem - alone - and to leave everything behind you. This is something planned by a very intelligent youg man.

 

[Irishknit]

I'm often wondering why someone as young as James would in 2023 go on survivalist crusade?
LE said he did online searching on how to quit the State. But LE didn't say anything about other kind of online search.
Was he also searching on survivalism and other subjects? Would a very young guy begins that journey based only on two books ? Is survivalism the way he found to flee, not the reason why he is missing?
IMO you don't go survivalist at 13 year-old only for fun or for the thrill.
You have a good reason to go that extrem - alone - and to leave everything behind you. This is something planned by a very intelligent youg man.

He could have used a public computer in a library to do searches.

 

[EIM]

He also could have been searching on his school issued Chromebook.

I also think that a child who would leave with the intent of attempting long term survivalism has to feel that is a significantly better option than staying home. I know kids who would love to try it for a night or two, but most kids would miss their family too much to stay home longer than that.

 

[ChatteringBirds]

Preteens and teens are very imaginative, and some live largely in a world of fantasy.
So what doesn't make sense to us may have made sense to him at the time.

The situation is complex and unusual, yet he's not the first teen to take his father's gun and disappear.

Maybe the location he drove to meant something to him.
He didn't want to go just *anywhere." That was where he pictured in his mind, for his own reasons?

However if anyone thinks it was all "staging" taking place, that is an interesting idea, too. By whom, and why, and where is James?

All IMO.

 

[DeDee]

This is the most current statement by Sheriff Meister

James Yoblonski missing person case update 08/03/2023

Investigators with the Sauk County Sheriff’s Office have conducted searches on several electronic devices believed to have been in James Yoblonski’s possession prior to his disappearance. In the early months of 2023 two searches were conducted using the device’s web browser regarding means of traveling out of state. One of these devices is owned by the Yoblonski family and the other is a device that was issued to James by the Baraboo School District. There were also several internet searches located of physical locations inside the State of Wisconsin.

Investigators have followed up with each of these browser searches including physical searches of several areas. These follow ups have not produced any evidence that James was ever physically present at these locations after his disappearance. The Yoblonski family has been made aware of these search locations and have cooperated with the Sheriff’s Department’s efforts. Our investigators are continuing the search for James Yoblonski and ask the public to contact the Sauk County Sheriff's Department at 608-355-4495 or Sauk County Crime Stoppers @ 1-888-TIP-SAUK (1-888-847-7285) with any information regarding this case. The Federal Bureau of Investigation is assisting the Sauk County Sheriff’s Office with this investigation.

Chip Meister

Sauk County Sheriff

I'm curious about the locations in James' internet search history coupled with the locations where physical official searches took place. Where is James' mom? Could she reside in one of those locations, perhaps? Or a favorite Uncle? What was 13yo James searching various locations for?

https://www.co.sauk.wi.us/sheriffsoffice/update-james-yoblonski-missing-person

 

[Curiousobserver]

Urgency is increasing with winter coming.

Mild weather forgives a lot of mistakes he might make out in the wilderness on his own.

-20F, 4 ft of snow, and 60 mph winds for days on end will not be so forgiving.

I hope he is not on his own and has some real shelter

 

[TallCoolOne]

Man, I was really hoping that we would have heard that James is back home now, safe and sound.

James!! Call home!!

 

[Happypetitvieux01]

Recap:

... he's never driven my vehicle on the streets or anything. He's moved my van around my shop a couple times

Security footage caught the teen leaving his home around midnight and walking across the street to where the family's van was parked, and sat inside for an hour before leaving, his father explained.

< > found the van by tracking his father's cellphone < > at the western edge of Devil's Lake State Park later that day. They found a makeshift campsite at the park they believed the boy built.

< > teen's search history found he had looked up information about teens crossing state lines and boarding airplanes.

Mr Yoblonski doubts that his son spent an evening < > because police dogs did not pick up his scent in the area. < >

"I think he left with somebody. I think he sat there and waited for a horn to honk and came out and got in the car with somebody," the father said.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime/father-of-missing-13-year-old-believes-he-was-coerced-into-leaving-home-in-family-van/ar-AA1f7e7L

His father described a SnapChat James sent; his father paraphrases James' message:

'I'm sorry. I don't think I'll be back for school. I don't want to hurt anybody, but I might,'" Mr Yoblonski said, paraphrasing his son's comments in the video.

But:
"He believes someone else was holding the phone and recording his son in the video."

The SnapChat confuses me a bit:

The father thinks James was already with an Unknown Person when James records the SnapChat.

How did James send a SnapChat if he left the phone behind with the van? The Unknown Person makes James make the SnapChat before taking him away from the van is a possibility.

Did James use his father's phone to record the SnapChat?
Had his father regained control over his phone in order to see the SnapChat?
Wouldn't there be digital evidence of James using a Map service to find his way to Devil's Par

Rereading a couple of early artIcles, I stumbled across these two. (Words in bold and italics by me). This makes me wonder if James actually took one gun, two guns, or no guns. When did he drive to dad’s workplace? And why drive there, if he had already taken the gun from the home? Did he also take ammunition, how much, and from where? Were the guns under lock and key?

Are there any locals able to map the different locations and directions of travel - i.e., home to work, on to where the vehicle and cell were found, to the supposed campsite, etc? It‘s hard for me to picture how long it takes to get from place to place without knowing the areas he is believed to have traveled, and I am terrible with maps.

Here’s This June 14, 2023 article …

Day 3 begins in search for missing boy in Sauk Co.

The search for a missing teen in Sauk Co. resumed Wednesday as teams continued focusing on a wooded area off Highway 12 where a campsite was discovered the previous day.

www.nbc15.com

[…]

Meister revealed Monday night the family realized that, in addition to their van being taken, a handgun was missing from the home. Authorities have not determined for certain if Yoblanski has the weapon.

[…]

And a day later, this June 15, 2023 article …

Officials find potential clues during search for missing 13-year-old in Baraboo Bluffs

Law enforcement officers looking for missing Reedsburg 13-year-old James Yoblonski found signs of human activity while searching Baraboo bluffs make feel optimistic.

www.nbc15.com

[…]

James’ father William Yoblonski said he believes his 13-year-old son drove to his father’s work place and took a gun from that location for protection.

[…]

Why are they not sure if James has the gun with him? Someone else could have take it? If true, I'm surprised how easy it was for a 13 year-old teen to grab a gun and flee with it in the night (guessing also ammunition).