This Teen Vanished Last Year After Taking His Dad’s Phone And Driving Off In The Family Van, And His Dad Thinks He Was Lured Into Leaving
On June 12, 2023, a teen from Reedsburg, Wisconsin, drove away from his family’s home and disappeared.
James Yoblonksi was 13-years-old, had just finished seventh grade, and was reportedly interested in becoming a survivalist. According to Sauk County Sheriff Lieutenant Steve Schram, he even had two survival guidebooks with him when he left his residence.
It all began at about 12:00 a.m. on June 12, when James took his father’s cell phone and was captured on security camera footage walking across the street from his home while wearing a backpack and holding two bags. There, his family’s van was parked.
James ultimately drove off in the vehicle one hour later. It wasn’t until 7:30 a.m. on June 12 that his father called the Sauk County Sheriff’s Office and filed a missing person report.
Prior to James being reported missing that morning, the van he took was found parked in the westbound lane of Highway 12, close to Baraboo Bluffs, at approximately 4:45 a.m. The vehicle was only a few miles away from the westernmost region of Devil’s Lake State Park.
Additionally, the cell phone he’d brought with him was discovered on the other side of the highway, about 200 yards away, in the eastbound lanes.
Authorities eventually found a makeshift camp constructed by James in the nearby woods. There was a phone charger, pillow, and multiple changes of clothing.
But, even after various agencies aided search efforts in the area, including with the assistance of K9 units, helicopters, and drones, no other trace of James was uncovered.
When James initially disappeared, investigators believed he might’ve been armed. His father thought he was missing a handgun from his business and wasn’t sure how long it’d been gone.
Sauk County Sheriff’s Office – pictured above is James
By looking through electronic devices, one of which belonged to the Yoblonski family and another that was issued to James by the Baraboo School District, authorities found two internet searches in 2023. The searches related to how to travel out of state, as well as being a minor on a plane.
James’ father, Bill Yoblonski, underwent a polygraph test provided by the FBI in August 2023 and passed.
The evening leading up to James’ disappearance was normal, according to Bill, who claimed they’d watched a movie as a family.
“It’s just it’s not him… something happened. Somebody either threatened us or threatened him,” he said.
One video that James is thought to have posted on social media the night he disappeared started circulating online, and the teen talked about feeling sad and scared.
“For everyone who cares about me, it’s not their fault. It’s my fault,” James stated.
“I’m not processing anything. My brain is…something happened to it.”
Investigators spoke with James’ classmates, and they all described him as a quiet person.
“Nobody indicated that he was suicidal. Nobody provided information that James planned to run away or anything like that. They all were of the mindset that they were surprised by James’s actions,” explained Drew Bulin, a detective with the Sauk County Sheriff’s Office.
Authorities haven’t found anything to indicate James had planned to meet up with anyone in the woods. There were also no signs of disturbance in the van or evidence that someone else had left his belongings in the woods.
“We have not come across any evidence to put us on the criminal side of things,” added Scott Steinhorst, another Sauk County Sheriff’s Office detective assigned to the case.
However, James’ father, Bill, feels otherwise, as he doesn’t believe James would take off without any warning. He and his son even had plans to go camping and fishing together that month.
Bill thinks James was coaxed into leaving and picked up by someone on the side of Highway 12.
“There’s just no way he could just vanish like that without him being gone with somebody else,” Bill said.
“I know somebody’s got him somewhere, and I can’t believe he hasn’t been seen or any tips have come in or anything else. He’s my son. I won’t give up. Ever.”
Still, the exact circumstances that led James to leave, as well as his whereabouts, remain unknown.
James was five foot eleven, weighed 120 pounds, and had brown hair and blue-green eyes.
Anyone with information regarding his case is urged to contact the Sauk County Sheriff’s Office at (608) 355-4495.
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