A woman from New Hampshire has pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in the tragic death of her 5-year-old son in 2021. The boy, named Elijah Lewis, was found deceased, buried in a Massachusetts park, after suffering from severe abuse, neglect, and starvation. The mother, Danielle Dauphinais, who is 38 years old, could face 58 years to life in prison following her sentencing next month. Dauphinais changed her plea from not guilty to guilty on charges of second-degree murder and two counts of witness tampering in a deal made with the prosecution.
The guilty pleas were accepted by Judge Lisa English in Nashua, although Dauphinais did not agree with all the facts presented by the prosecution, she acknowledged her involvement in her son’s death. Elijah Lewis was discovered missing in October 2021 and was later found dead in Ames Nowell State Park in Abington, Massachusetts. An autopsy revealed that he had suffered various injuries, fentanyl intoxication, malnutrition, and pressure ulcers.
During the court proceedings, prosecutor Bethany Durand mentioned that Elijah had experienced severe and ongoing abuse, including physical assaults, psychological maltreatment, and neglect. Dauphinais’ boyfriend, Joseph Stapf, had previously pleaded guilty to manslaughter, second-degree assault, falsifying evidence, and witness tampering in connection to the boy’s death, receiving a prison sentence of 22 to 45 years.
Text messages read in court indicated Dauphinais’ hostility towards her son, with alarming statements such as “I’m gonna kill him and I mean it” and descriptions of hitting him with a shower rod. The boy’s father, who resides in Arizona, had raised concerns about Elijah’s well-being to the state’s Division for Children, Youth, and Families after observing bruises and malnourishment. Despite promises made to authorities about Elijah living with relatives, investigations revealed lies and attempts to cover up the boy’s whereabouts.
When Elijah was eventually found, his physical state was shocking, weighing only 19 pounds and standing 3 feet tall, while the average weight for a 5-year-old is around 40 pounds. Both Dauphinais and Stapf were apprehended in New York before Elijah’s remains were discovered days later. Dauphinais had been indicted in 2022 on charges of first-degree and second-degree murder, along with multiple counts of witness tampering.