Elijah Lewis.Photo: Facebook
Danielle Dauphinais has been indicted on multiple charges in connection with the death of her son, 5-year-old Elijah Lewis, who she allegedly said was “the nextTed BundyandJeffrey Dahmer.”
“On April 15, 2022, the Hillsborough County Grand Jury – Southern District returned indictments charging Danielle Dauphinais with one count of first degree murder for purposely causing the death of Elijah Lewis; one count of second degree murder for causing the death of Elijah Lewis recklessly with extreme indifference to the value of human life; and three counts of tampering with witnesses,” New Hampshire Attorney General John M. Formellaannounced Monday.
Dauphinais, 35, is currently being held without bail, and an arraignment is set to be scheduled in Hillsborough County Superior Court.
Danielle Dauphinais.
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A few months before in June, Dauphinais allegedly wrote to her friend Erika Wolfe on Snapchat: “I call him the next Ted Bundy and Jeffrey Dahmer.”
“It’s so sad but I have no connection with this child,” she allegedly said according to theBoston Globe. “His father took him at the age of one and never returned him until last May 2020. He’s been getting worse and worse. I want him gone. I can’t handle it anymore.”
Elijah Lewis.New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office
Dauphinais and her boyfriend, Joseph Stapf, were arrested on Oct. 18 in New York City on warrants for witness tampering and child endangerment.
According to local outletWHDH, authorities said that the couple was accused of asking individuals to lie about Lewis and his living situation after learning that child protection service workers were looking for the child.
Dauphinais' lawyer did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment. It was not immediately clear if Stapf has retained legal representation to comment on his behalf.
If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
source: people.com
