Overview

Missing: June 12, 2023
Missing from: Reedsburg, Wisconsin
Last suspected location: Baraboo Bluffs, near the western portion of Devil’s Lake State Park and the northern Sauk Prairie Recreation Area in Sauk County, Wisconsin.

Main circumstances: James Yoblonski was 13 when he left his family’s Reedsburg home during the early morning hours in a family van. The van was later located along U.S. Highway 12 near the Baraboo Bluffs. A phone and belongings were found in the area, and investigators located makeshift campsites believed connected to James. A handgun from the household was also reported missing. Despite extensive searches and a continuing investigation, James has not been located.

Detailed Case Breakdown

James Yoblonski Missing Person Case: Wisconsin Teen Remains Missing After Disappearing Near Devil’s Lake

More than three years after 13-year-old James Yoblonski disappeared from Sauk County, Wisconsin, investigators and his family are still searching for answers.

James disappeared on June 12, 2023, after leaving his family’s rural Reedsburg home during the early morning hours. What initially appeared to investigators to possibly be a teenager attempting to live in the wilderness developed into a long-running missing-child investigation involving extensive ground searches, digital evidence, the FBI and the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children.

James remains missing.

James Yoblonski Disappears from Reedsburg

James Yoblonski was 13 years old when he disappeared on June 12, 2023. He was approximately 5 feet 11 inches tall and weighed about 120 pounds, with brown hair and blue or blue-green eyes. He also had a roughly half-inch scar on the back of his neck.

According to accounts of the investigation, James left his family’s home in Reedsburg at approximately 12:52 a.m. and drove away in the family van. He reportedly took bags and his father’s cellphone with him.

Investigators later determined that the van had traveled through the area for several hours. James reportedly stopped twice at his father’s business in Wisconsin Dells before eventually reaching the vicinity of the Baraboo Bluffs.

By approximately 9 a.m., James had been reported missing.

Family Van Found Near the Baraboo Bluffs

The family van was discovered along U.S. Highway 12 near the Baraboo Bluffs, not far from Devil’s Lake State Park and the Sauk Prairie Recreation Area.

The location immediately became a major focus of the investigation.

Across the highway and up a steep hill, investigators located James’s father’s cellphone and belongings at what authorities described as a makeshift campsite.

The terrain surrounding the site presented serious challenges. The Baraboo Bluffs contain thick vegetation, steep slopes, rocks and cliffs, making systematic searches difficult even with large numbers of trained searchers.

A handgun associated with James’s household was also reported missing. Authorities cautioned members of the public against attempting to search the rugged area themselves.

Massive Search Near Devil’s Lake State Park

Law enforcement launched an extensive search of the area surrounding Highway 12, the Baraboo Bluffs and Devil’s Lake State Park.

Search teams used K9 units, aircraft and a Black Hawk helicopter while covering thousands of acres of difficult terrain. At one point, authorities reported that approximately 5,000 acres had been covered.

Investigators repeatedly searched portions of the area while attempting to determine whether James was still somewhere in the wilderness.

A statewide Missing Endangered Person Alert was also issued.

Second Campsite Changes Direction of Search

On June 16, authorities announced an important development.

Searchers had discovered another campsite along with a jug of water, socks and a knife sheath believed to be associated with James.

Investigators said the discoveries strengthened their working theory at the time that James might have deliberately entered the wilderness and was attempting to live “off the grid.”

Authorities also learned that James had expressed an interest in wilderness survival. Two wilderness survival books were reportedly missing from his home.

Because investigators were concerned that a large police presence might cause James to move farther into dangerous terrain if he was deliberately avoiding searchers, authorities began reducing the visible law-enforcement presence.

That theory, however, never resulted in James being located.

Investigators Examine James Yoblonski’s Internet History

The investigation later expanded beyond the wilderness surrounding Devil’s Lake.

Sauk County investigators examined electronic devices believed to have been accessible to James before he disappeared. One belonged to the Yoblonski family, while another had been issued to James by the Baraboo School District.

Investigators discovered searches made during the months before his disappearance concerning ways to travel outside Wisconsin.

They also discovered searches involving specific locations within Wisconsin.

Authorities followed those digital leads and physically searched multiple locations connected with the browser history. According to investigators, those follow-ups produced no evidence that James had actually been at the locations after disappearing.

The FBI also assisted the Sauk County Sheriff’s Office as investigators continued evaluating leads and electronic evidence.

James’s Father Believes Someone May Know What Happened

James’s father, William “Bill” Yoblonski, has continued publicly searching for his son.

He has questioned whether James simply disappeared into the wilderness and has publicly expressed his belief that his son could have been influenced or lured into leaving.

That remains a family’s theory rather than an established finding by investigators.

Bill Yoblonski offered a $10,000 reward for information that could help bring James home and has repeatedly appealed for anyone with information to come forward.

Law enforcement has continued treating James as a missing child.

No Confirmed Evidence James Reached Internet Search Locations

One of the most significant investigative disclosures concerned James’s digital history.

Although searches relating to out-of-state travel and Wisconsin locations were identified on devices available to him, investigators said their subsequent searches did not establish that James traveled to those locations after June 12, 2023.

That distinction remains important.

The browser history showed possible interests or plans before his disappearance, but authorities have not publicly established that those searches represent James’s actual movements afterward.

Similarly, the campsites and belongings discovered around the Baraboo Bluffs helped establish an important search area, but they have not provided a publicly confirmed explanation for where James went next.

Age-Progression Image Released in 2026

A major new public-awareness effort occurred shortly before the third anniversary of James’s disappearance.

In June 2026, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children released an age-progression image depicting what James could look like as a 16-year-old.

James was only 13 when he disappeared.

The image was intended to help members of the public recognize him years after the photographs taken around the time of his disappearance.

His father renewed his public appeal, saying that his family still wants James to come home and know that he is safe.

Latest Investigation Information

As of September 2026, James Yoblonski has not been publicly reported found, and his disappearance remains an open missing-person case.

The Wisconsin Clearinghouse for Missing & Exploited Children & Adults continues to list James as a missing endangered child. The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children also maintains an active missing-child poster for him.

The latest major publicly announced development is the 2026 age-progression image. Current listings identify James as 16 years old.

No publicly released evidence has established what happened to James after the initial activity around the Baraboo Bluffs area, and authorities have not announced that they have determined whether he remained in Wisconsin, left the state or encountered another person after disappearing.

The investigation therefore remains centered on finding James and obtaining information that can establish his movements after June 12, 2023.

Anyone who recognizes James, has encountered someone resembling him, or has information concerning his disappearance is encouraged to contact law enforcement rather than attempting to approach him.

The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children specifically advises that if James is located, members of the public should not approach him and should immediately contact law enforcement.