Divers Search Merrimack Lake During Missing Child Investigation

MERRIMACK, NH — Several law enforcement agencies worked on Sunset Drive in Merrimack Sunday throughout the day searching for clues during a missing child investigation.

A New Hampshire Fish and Game Dive Team arrived in the morning with two boats and several divers. The divers coordinated efforts on the beach of Naticook Lake adjacent to 7 Sunset Drive, a home that remains surrounded by crime scene tape. Merrimack police officers have been at the scene since Friday and have remained there 24 hours a day, outside the residence.

Divers rotated with two divers going underwater at a time, sometimes being underwater for nearly an hour. The team coordinated locations to search with NH State Police Major Crime and Merrimack police detectives.

Detectives and a member of the major crime unit used shovels and rakes in the backyard of the house that been the focus of several searches by law enforcement.

Late Sunday, the dive team and crime unit left the scene. Police remained on scene at the house that continued to be surrounded by the crime scene tape.

Shortly after some of the units cleared, a woman who has been identified as the homeowner, came to the property seeking to go inside. She was refused entry onto the property and left the area after speaking to the Merrimack police officer on the scene.

The NH Attorney General’s Office said they are still looking to locate the two adults and missing child as part of this investigation.

Merrimack police were notified on Thursday by DCYF that a 5-year-old was missing and hadn’t been seen for six months. Police immediately began to investigate, and a short time later asked for assistance from other agencies including the State Police Major Crime Unit and the NH Attorney Generals Office.

Friday afternoon Merrimack Police Detectives, worked with the State Police Major Crime unit at 7 Sunset Drive, and at the Merrimack police station gathering information.

At a press conference Friday night, Senior Assistant Attorney General Benjamin Agati identified the missing child as Elijah (Eli) Lewis, 5, of Merrimack. Agati indicated the child was last seen by independent individuals approximately six months ago. Agati confirmed Elijah’s unknown whereabouts were brought to the attention of authorities by DCYF on Thursday.

Officials are also said they are looking to speak with Elijah’s mother Danielle Denise Dauphinais, 35, who may be in the company of Joseph Stapf, 30. They are believed to be driving a red/maroon 2007 Toyota Tundra with New Hampshire license plate JOJOD78.

Dauphinais is described as 5 feet, 4 inches tall, weighing about 165 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes. Stapf is described as 5 feet, 10 inches tall, weighs approximately 170 pounds with brown hair and green eyes. Photos of Dauphinais and Stapf, as well as a photo of a similar red 2007 Toyota Tundra, were distributed to assist in locating the two adults.

Officials have said that initial information is that there was no danger to the public.

Saturday Merrimack Police Detectives continued to work with State Police Major Crime at the 7 Sunset Drive location. New Hampshire Marine Patrol and an NHSP K9 Plott Hound trained in search and rescue and a Merrimack Detective circled Naticook Lake searched the water for several hours. K-9 Trooper Barry and his K-9, Oakley, are trained in searching for missing people and water searches.

Detectives photographed the shoreline around the Sunset Drive house and a beach area to the left of the house that is a private beach. A State Police Trooper was seen photographing inside a shed on the property and other areas outside the house.

Several people in the Southern New Hampshire area have posted information on social media sites with updated information as it becomes available.

One Facebook group has been established for people looking to follow the search and sharing additional photos of the missing child.

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Anyone with information on Elijah’s whereabouts, or anyone who knows Danielle Dauphinais or Joseph Stapf’s whereabouts or the location of their truck 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). Lead Investigator Detective Sergeant Kelly Healey, Major Crime Unit, can be contacted directly at Kelly.A.Healey@dos.nh.gov.