Danielle Dauphinais, a New Hampshire mother, was sentenced to 53 years to life in prison on Friday for the death of her 5-year-old son, Elijah Lewis. The boy, who endured prolonged abuse, starvation, and drug exposure, was found dead in 2021. His body, weighing only 19 pounds, was discovered buried in a Massachusetts park, AP reported.
During her sentencing, Dauphinais expressed remorse, apologizing to Elijah in a letter recounting her own troubled past marked by abuse and abandonment. Emotional in court, she was unable to finish reading her statement, leaving one of her attorneys to complete it on her behalf.
Dauphinais, 38, initially prepared for a trial in Nashua but chose to plead guilty last month to second-degree murder and additional charges, entering an agreement with prosecutors. Although prosecutors sought a 55-year term, her defense requested a 35-year sentence, the minimum term available. She was also sentenced to an additional three to seven years for lesser offenses.
Elijah’s autopsy revealed severe physical injuries, including facial and scalp trauma, fentanyl poisoning, malnutrition, and bedsores. Prosecutors detailed his neglect, explaining how he was often confined to a bathroom tub, monitored via video, and visibly weakened over time. The final photograph of him showed a frail Elijah with one eye swollen shut, a heartbreaking testament to his suffering.
