Danielle Dauphinais, a New Hampshire woman, was sentenced to 53 years to life in prison on Friday for the death of her 5-year-old son, Elijah Lewis. The child was found beaten, starved, and exposed to drugs before his 19-pound body was discovered buried in a Massachusetts park in 2021, according to AP News.
In court, Dauphinais expressed remorse, reading a letter recounting her own childhood experiences of abuse and abandonment. She tearfully said, “I’m so sorry Elijah that I failed you as your mother.” Overwhelmed with emotion, one of her attorneys finished reading the letter for her.
The 38-year-old had faced trial in Nashua but pleaded guilty last month to second-degree murder and other charges as part of a plea agreement. Prosecutors sought a 55-year sentence, while the defense requested the minimum term of 35 years. Dauphinais also received an additional three to seven years for lesser offenses.
Elijah’s autopsy revealed facial and scalp injuries, malnourishment, acute fentanyl intoxication, and pressure ulcers. Prosecutors detailed the neglect and torture he endured, including being confined for extended periods in a bathtub and monitored via video. Photos showed him growing progressively thinner over 16 months, with his eyes partially shut in the final images, via the New York Post.
Dauphinais had custody of Elijah after his father, who previously cared for the boy in Arizona, brought him to her in New Hampshire in May 2020. Despite his “severe psychiatric issues,” neither parent sought proper evaluation for him, according to her defense.
Judge Charles Temple criticized Dauphinais, referencing hateful messages she sent her boyfriend about Elijah. “You knew exactly what you were doing to Elijah. You were killing him, hour by hour, day by day, month by month,” he said.
Dauphinais’ boyfriend, Joseph Stapf, had pleaded guilty to manslaughter, second-degree assault, and other charges in connection to Elijah’s death in 2022. He received a 22 to 45-year prison sentence. Prosecutors presented texts exchanged between Stapf and Dauphinais, expressing frustration and hostility toward Elijah, including one message where Dauphinais said, “I’m gonna kill him and I mean it.”
Defense attorney Benjamin Faulkner argued that Dauphinais acted out of desperation as she struggled to manage Elijah’s behavior while caring for another child and battling fentanyl and heroin addiction. Dauphinais claimed her ex-husband withheld insurance information, preventing her from seeking help.
Despite her claims, prosecutors argued that she consistently shifted blame to others and took no action to help Elijah. “She did nothing to help Elijah,” prosecutor Bethany Durand stated.
Elijah’s father, Timothy Lewis, expressed concern about his son’s welfare and contacted child services when he suspected Elijah was not receiving proper care. In a wrongful death lawsuit, he alleged that Dauphinais, Stapf, Stapf’s mother, and the child services agency failed to protect his son. Faulkner stated that Lewis refused to take Elijah back, citing safety concerns for other children in his home.
Prosecutors believe Elijah died in September 2021. Dauphinais and Stapf allegedly placed his body in a container and buried it in a Massachusetts park. The couple was later arrested in New York, and Elijah’s remains were found shortly after.
Elijah’s father addressed the court via phone, saying he could never forgive Dauphinais and hoped she would be haunted by her actions. Faulkner said that she already is.