Elijah Lewis
Five-year-old Elijah Lewis was murdered and buried by his mother and her boyfriend in New Hampshire. His remains were found in Abington, Massachusetts. Both were convicted.
In October 2021, authorities in New Hampshire launched a search for five-year-old Elijah Lewis after the state's Division for Children, Youth and Families reported the boy missing. His mother, Danielle Dauphinais, and her boyfriend, Joseph Stapf, had been telling people that Elijah was staying with friends.
Elijah's remains were found buried in a wooded area in Abington, Massachusetts, about 80 miles from the family's Merrimack, New Hampshire home. He had suffered extreme abuse and neglect before his death.
Both Dauphinais and Stapf were arrested and charged with murder. The investigation revealed a pattern of severe abuse, including malnutrition and physical violence, that Elijah had endured before his death around October 2020.
Dauphinais was convicted of second-degree murder and sentenced to 45 years to life. Stapf pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and was sentenced to 30 years to life. The case led to calls for reform of New Hampshire's child welfare system.
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