Danielle Dauphinais, a 38-year-old New Hampshire woman, was sentenced Friday to 53 years to life in prison for the death of her 5-year-old son, Elijah Lewis, whose beaten, starved, and drug-exposed body was found buried in a Massachusetts park in 2021.
Dauphinais pleaded guilty last month to second-degree murder and other charges in an agreement with prosecutors, avoiding a trial in Nashua. In court, she read a letter apologizing to Elijah for failing him as a mother, breaking down in tears before one of her attorneys finished reading it on her behalf.
Prosecutors sought a 55-year sentence, while the defense requested the minimum term of 35 years. Judge Charles Temple ultimately sentenced Dauphinais to 53 years to life, with an additional three to seven years on lesser offenses.
Elijah’s autopsy revealed facial and scalp injuries, acute fentanyl intoxication, malnourishment, and pressure ulcers. Prosecutors presented evidence that Elijah was tortured and neglected, confined for long periods in a bathroom tub, and monitored via video. Photos showed his progressive weight loss over a 16-month period.
Dauphinais’ boyfriend, Joseph Stapf, had previously pleaded guilty to manslaughter and other charges in connection with Elijah’s death, receiving a sentence of 22 to 45 years in prison.
Text messages between Dauphinais and Stapf expressed hostility toward Elijah and frustration when he did not behave according to their wishes. One message from Dauphinais read, “I’m gonna kill him and I mean it.”
Defense attorney Benjamin Faulkner argued that Dauphinais’ texts were sent out of desperation due to Elijah’s aggressive behavior, which she was unable to manage while caring for another child and struggling with substance abuse. Prosecutors countered that she shifted blame and responsibility to others, including Elijah’s father, Timothy Lewis.
Lewis had become concerned about Elijah’s medical care and contacted the state Division for Children, Youth and Families. He filed a wrongful death lawsuit earlier this year against Dauphinais, Stapf, Stapf’s mother, and the child services agency.
Elijah was last seen by a doctor in November 2020, weighing just 32 pounds with bruises on his face, eye, and arm. Dauphinais later lied about Elijah’s whereabouts, and his remains were discovered in October 2021, days after Dauphinais and Stapf were arrested in New York.
At the time of his death, Elijah was severely underweight and undersized for his age. Lewis addressed the court via phone, saying he could never forgive Dauphinais and hoped she would be haunted by their son’s death.
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