ABINGTON, MASS. (WHDH) - Human remains that were found in a wooded area near a state park in Abington on Saturday morning are believed to be those of a 5-year-old New Hampshire boy who has been missing for weeks, according to Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy J. Cruz.
A New Hampshire State Police cadaver dog discovered the body of Elijah Lewis, who had been missing for weeks, buried under soil near Ames Nowell State Park.
This comes after police from Massachusetts and the Granite State began an extensive search on Friday in Ames Nowell State Park in the area of Chestnut Street, according to New Hampshire Attorney General John M. Formella, New Hampshire State Police Colonel Nathan A. Noyes, and Merrimack Police Chief Brian K. Levesque.
“Our thoughts are with Eli’s family and the entire Merrimack community,” said Massachusetts State Police Colonel Christopher Mason at a news conference Saturday. “I’m glad and relieved that we were able to bring some closure to this part of the ongoing investigation and, most importantly, help bring Eli home with some dignity.”
Some sort of a “confession” led investigators to Abington on Friday, law enforcement sources said. Earlier this week, Lewis’ uncle urged the boy’s mother, 35-year-old Danielle Dauphinais, to cooperate with detectives.
Search teams had been scouring the woods and lakes in the area of Sunset Drive in Merrimack throughout the week before shifting south to Abington on Friday and Saturday.
Dauphinais and her boyfriend, 30-year-old Joseph Stapf, appeared from jail via video on Wednesday and pleaded not guilty in Hillsborough County Superior Court South to charges of witness tampering and child endangerment.
“A little boy is gone, nobody deserves to die this way and we need to make sure we do everything in our power to make sure we can get justice for this little boy,” said Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy Cruz.
Dauphinais and Stapf were arrested in New York over the weekend in connection with Lewis’ disappearance.
The New Hampshire State Department of Children, Youth and Families reported Elijah Lewis missing last week, and officials initially said that he had not been seen in six months, but investigators on Tuesday announced that they now believe the boy was last seen at his home sometime within the last 30 days.
Dauphinais and Stapf are accused of asking relatives to lie about Lewis and where he was living, knowing that child protection service workers were searching for the boy, authorities said. They also allegedly violated a duty of care, protection, or support for Lewis.
A judge ordered the couple held without bail.
The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner of Massachusetts will perform an autopsy Sunday to determine the identity of the body and the exact cause and manner of death, according to New Hampshire Assistant Attorney General Susan Morrell.
After the autopsy has been performed, authorities will determine what, if any, additional charges will be brought against Dauphinais and Stapf.
An investigation remains ongoing.
This is a developing story; stay with 7NEWS on-air and online for the latest updates.
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