Two arrests have been made in the investigation searching for a missing New Hampshire boy, Attorney General John M. Formella, New Hampshire State Police Colonel Nathan A. Noyes, and Merrimack Police Chief Brian K. Levesque said. However, the child, Elijah Lewis, last seen six months ago, remains missing according to investigators. On Sunday, officers with the New York City Transit Authority in the Bronx, New York, located and arrested the child’s mother, Danielle Denise Dauphinais, 35, and Joseph Stapf, 30, on warrants issued in this investigation in New Hampshire charging them with witness tampering and child endangerment.
The witness tampering charges allege that they each asked other people to lie about Elijah and where he was living knowing that child protection service workers were searching for Elijah, investigators said. The endangerment charge alleges that they violated a duty of care, protection, or support for Elijah, investigators said. Dauphinais and Stapf were scheduled to be arraigned in the Bronx County Criminal Court on Monday. At the proceeding, the two can decide whether or not to waive extradition back to New England.
Elijah’s unknown whereabouts were brought to the attention of authorities by DCYF on Thursday, and Merrimack police immediately began an investigation. The boy was never reported missing to authorities prior to this time. “I see the search continuing on until we find Elijah,” Formella said. “I don’t think is going to be the last day, I hope that we’re going to find him safe and sound somewhere, but we’re going to continue until we find him.”Anyone with information on Elijah’s whereabouts 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). Officials say there is currently no threat to the public.
MERRIMACK, N.H. —Two arrests have been made in the investigation searching for a missing New Hampshire boy, Attorney General John M. Formella, New Hampshire State Police Colonel Nathan A. Noyes, and Merrimack Police Chief Brian K. Levesque said.
However, the child, Elijah Lewis, last seen six months ago, remains missing according to investigators.
On Sunday, officers with the New York City Transit Authority in the Bronx, New York, located and arrested the child’s mother, Danielle Denise Dauphinais, 35, and Joseph Stapf, 30, on warrants issued in this investigation in New Hampshire charging them with witness tampering and child endangerment.
The witness tampering charges allege that they each asked other people to lie about Elijah and where he was living knowing that child protection service workers were searching for Elijah, investigators said. The endangerment charge alleges that they violated a duty of care, protection, or support for Elijah, investigators said.
Dauphinais and Stapf were scheduled to be arraigned in the Bronx County Criminal Court on Monday.
At the proceeding, the two can decide whether or not to waive extradition back to New England.
Elijah’s unknown whereabouts were brought to the attention of authorities by DCYF on Thursday, and Merrimack police immediately began an investigation. The boy was never reported missing to authorities prior to this time.
“I see the search continuing on until we find Elijah,” Formella said. “I don’t think [Monday] is going to be the last day, I hope that we’re going to find him safe and sound somewhere, but we’re going to continue until we find him.”
Anyone with information on Elijah’s whereabouts 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).
Officials say there is currently no threat to the public.
