Metro

New Hampshire mom arrested in NYC in connection with her missing son

New York City transit police arrested two people related to the disappearance of a 5-year-old New Hampshire boy last seen six months ago — including the kid’s mom.

Danielle Denise Dauphinais, 35, and Joseph Stapf, 30, were slapped with charges of witness tampering and child endangerment for allegedly telling others to lie about where her son Elijah Lewis was living as child protection services tried to find him, the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office announced.

Although Elijah, or Eli, hasn’t been seen in six months, he was only reported missing to New Hampshire child services and local cops on Thursday, the AG reported.

“The Merrimack Police Department immediately began an investigation, and was assisted later that day by the New Hampshire State Police and the New Hampshire Department of Justice,” a news release from the AG said.

“Elijah was never reported missing to authorities prior to this time.”

Elijah Lewis
Elijah Lewis was last seen six months ago. New Hampshire Department of Just

Authorities put out a call for the public’s help to find Dauphinais and Stapf at that time, and cops caught up with them in the Bronx on Sunday, the AG’s office said.

The search for the child continues with police dogs seen Monday at the home Dauphinais and Stapf shared, WBZ-TV Boston reported. Investigators looked in the woods and around a pond in the area, according to the station.

“We’re trying to find Elijah,” assistant AG Benjamin Agati told WBZ. “We hope we’re going to find him in good condition. But I would be less than honest if I didn’t say that the chances of that are not looking good at this point.”