Human remains recovered last week are that of Elijah Vue, a toddler who has been missing in Wisconsin since February, police confirmed Friday.

Two Rivers Police Department was unable to confirm that a human skull and bones found at a private residence in the area on Sept. 7 belonged to Elijah until now, authorities said at a news conference.

"This is not the outcome we had hoped for," Two Rivers police Chief Benjamin Meinnert said. "The family is devastated. Our community is devastated."

Meinnert did not take questions from reporters.

Here's what we know.

When were Elijah Vue's remains found?

A deer hunter clearing land to prepare for the upcoming hunting season contacted authorities after he found skeletal remains on his property in Two Rivers, a city in Manitowoc County, Wisconsin, according to reporting by the Herald Times Reporter, part of the USA TODAY Network.

The Manitowoc County Sheriff's Office couldn't confirm that the remains found were Elijah's but noted that the identification of the remains would be a "lengthy process," according to a September news release.

The "thick and wooded" area where the remains were found was a couple miles northwest from the location where Elijah was reported missing on Feb. 20. According to Meinnert, the area had been canvassed and searched multiple times in the last seven months.

Two Rivers police were able to recover several pieces of evidence, including a red-and-white plaid blanket and a vehicle, over the course of the massive search, according to the Herald Times Reporter.

"Despite all those previous efforts and throughout different conditions and changing seasons, we continued searching and had additional searches scheduled as early as next week," Meinnert said.

Meinnert asked the public to give the Elijah's family privacy as they grieve the loss.

"I never met Elijah, but I watched that 3-year-old boy bring out the best of an amazing community," Meinnert said. "I can't thank the public and our businesses enough for all their assistance and support through this tragedy."

When was Elijah Vue reported missing?

The 3-year-old was reported missing by his mother's boyfriend, Jesse Vang, on Feb. 20.

Vang, 39, told police he had last seen Elijah around 8 a.m. that morning, when he ordered the child to stand next to his bed and pray as punishment. He was gone when Vang woke up nearly three hours later, Vang said.

Vang called 911 to report him missing from the apartment at around 11 a.m.

Katrina Baur, Elijah's mom, was at her home in Wisconsin Dells, a city over 100 miles southwest of Two Rivers.

Both Baur and Vang were arrested in February and face child neglect charges in connection with Elijah's disappearance. A preliminary hearing will be held on Sept. 27 for Vang and Oct. 22 for Baur.

Attorneys for Baur and Vang did not immediately respond to USA TODAY's request for comment.

What happens next in Elijah Vue case?

In light of recent events, Meinnert shared that what started out as a search for a missing had become a "death investigation."

"Although we understand your desire for information, we cannot share every detail and must maintain the integrity of the investigation. We know the family and community has a lot of questions," Meinnert said. "This is a process that will take a great deal of time, but we will do what we can in this investigation to answer those questions."

Anyone with information about the case is encouraged to contact the Two Rivers Police Department.

Meinnert said we would continue to provide updates from the Wisconsin Department of Criminal Justice and the Manitowoc County District Attorney's Office as the investigation continues.

Brandon Reid and Alisa M. Schafer contributed to this report.

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