Merrimack Couple Appear Before Judge, Held In Missing Boy Case

MERRIMACK, NH — Danielle Dauphinais and Joseph Stapf appeared in front of Honorable Judge Temple on Wednesday in Hillsborough County Superior Court facing felony witness tampering and child endangerment charges connected to a boy missing for about six months.

The couple was arrested in New York City by NY Transit Police after a “be on the lookout” was issued by New Hampshire authorities who were wanted for several felony charges.

Dauphinais, who is the mother of the missing boy, Elijah "Eli” Lewis, 5, appeared via video from the Hillsborough County House of Corrections where she is being held.

Defense Attorney Jaye Rancourt, who represented Dauphinais, appeared via video and said she was waiving formal arraignment and was entering a plea of not guilty on the charges. Dauphinais faces three counts of witness tampering, Class B felonies, and two counts of endangering the welfare of a child, Class A misdemeanors.

Superior Court Judge Charles Temple asked Dauphinais if she understood the charges and what transpired at their hearings.

"I do," Dauphinais answered.

Dauphinais's charges accuse her of trying to "induce, or otherwise cause," two women and a man to "testify or inform falsely" or to withhold testimony or information about Elijah from a child protective services worker.

The endangering the welfare of a child charges accuse her of allegedly preventing child protective services workers from locating Elijah by asking a woman and a man Tracy Lynn Dauphinais to tell the DCFY workers that Elijah was with them when he was not.

Joseph Stapf appeared via video from Hillsborough County House of Corrections where he is also being held. Stapf is charged with one count each of witness tampering and endangering the welfare of a child. He was represented by Defense Attorney Amanda Armillay. Stapf also waived formal arraignment and entered a plea of not guilty.

Stapf is accused of instructing a family member to not talk to a child protective services worker about Elijah.

Dauphinais and Stapf were ordered held on preventive detention without the possibility of bail by Judge Temple. The arrest warrants were ordered sealed but access was granted to the defense attorneys

Dauphinais’s address was listed as Sunset Drive in Merrimack on her bail order and Stapf listed an address in Litchfield.

On Wednesday, a Merrimack police officer remained outside the Sunset Drive home, which is still surrounded by crime scene tape. A house on Dawn Avenue, that appears unoccupied, has crime scene tape in front of the house but no officers could be seen at that location. No officers using K-9s, divers, or boats were in the area on Wednesday.

A New Hampshire State Police truck arrived later as well members of the NH Attorney Generals Office. Investigators took several photos inside and outside of the house and brought evidence bags to the truck. At about 5 p.m. the Major Crime Unit left the scene, and one Merrimack police officer remained at the scene.

Neighbors were told by police at the scene that the house on Sunset Avenue would be turned over to the homeowner on Friday. Throughout the day, people from the neighborhood gathered talking about the investigation and watched as investigators worked in the afternoon.

©Jeffrey Hastings www.frameofmindphoto.com/news