Mom Of NH Boy, Found Dead In MA, Pleads ‘Not Guilty’ To Murder Charges

MERRIMACK, NH — The mother of a New Hampshire boy, who was killed sometime between September 2020 and 2021, and found dead in a Massachusetts park in October 2021, has entered not guilty pleas to the charges, according to the Associated Press.

Danielle Dauphinais, the mother of Elijah Lewis, 5, of Merrimack, faces first-degree murder, second-degree murder, and three witness tampering charges, all felonies. She was scheduled to be arraigned on the charges in Hillsborough County Superior Court South on Monday but waived the arraignment.

Her attorney, Jaye Rancourt, said Dauphinais’ maintains her innocence.

Dauphinais is due back in court on June 28. She was indicted on the charges last month accused of purposely causing the death of Lewis and recklessly causing the death with extreme indifference to the value of the human life of Lewis. The tampering with witness charges involved accusations of Dauphinais attempting to have others say they had Lewis when the New Hampshire Division of Children, Youth, and Families became involved in trying to find out information about Lewis.

Lewis was officially reported missing in October 2021. State officials had been trying to find out his whereabouts for about six months. After a few weeks, he was found dead in a shallow grave in Nowell State Park in Abington, MA.

Dauphinais is being held without bail.

Anyone who may have any info about this case is asked to contact the Merrimack Police Department's Crimeline at 603-424-2424 or New Hampshire State Police Communications at 603-223-4381 or 603-MCU-TIPS (603-628-8477).

Read the full report on WHDH-TV online.

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