NASHUA, NH – Danielle Dauphinais, the mother of Elijah Lewisis preparing to plead guilty to the 2021 death of the 5-year-old from New Hampshire, according to court documents. Elijah’s body was found in Abington, Massachusetts after an extensive search that lasted more than a week.
Dauphinais, 38, will plead guilty Thursday to second degree murder and two counts of witness tampering, according to a plea agreement filed Monday. She faces up to 55 years in prison.
New Hampshire Department of Justice
Death of Elijah Lewis
Elijah was reported missing and found dead in an Abington park in October 2021. An autopsy revealed facial and scalp trauma, acute fentanyl poisoning, malnutrition, and pressure sores.
The friend of Dauphinais, Joseph Stapfpleaded guilty to second-degree murder, second-degree assault, tampering with physical evidence and witness tampering in 2022 in connection with the boy’s death. He was sentenced to 22 to 45 years in prison.
During Stapf’s sentencing, they read a series of texts between Stapf and Dauphinais that expressed hostility toward Elijah.
New Hampshire Department of Justice
Signs of neglect
According to prosecutors, Elijah was starving, neglected and physically abused.
When Elijah died and Child Protective Services began investigating his disappearance, the couple put his body in a dumpster and took him to Ames Nowell State Park in Abington, where prosecutors say Stapf dug a hole and buried him.
Prosecutors said Elijah was 3 feet 1 inch tall and weighed 19 pounds when he was found. The average 5-year-old boy is about 4 feet 1 inch tall and weighs about 40 pounds.
While Elijah was still missing, Stapf and Dauphinais were arrested in New York on charges of witness tampering and child abuse. Elijah’s remains were found days after their arrest.
Dauphinais was charged in 2022 with first-degree murder (she alleged she intentionally caused her son’s death), second-degree murder (she alleged she acted recklessly in causing his death), and three counts of witness tampering.
Initially she had denied any guilt, but she decided to change her confession.
