The 5-year-old New Hampshire boy who went missing in October and whose body was found buried in a wooded area nine days later, died from violence, neglect and acute fentanyl intoxication, according to his autopsy results.
Elijah Lewis was reported missing Oct. 14 by the New Hampshire Division for Youth and Families. His body was discovered buried in the woods in Abington, Massachusetts, on Oct. 23.
The New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office released Lewis’ autopsy results Monday.
The manner of death was ruled a homicide and the cause of death a mix of violence and neglect including facial and scalp injuries, malnourishment and pressure ulcers.
Elijah’s mother, Danielle Denise Dauphinais, 35, and her boyfriend, Joseph Stapf, 30, remain held without bail on charges of witness tampering and child endangerment.
The two were arrested in New York City and pleaded not guilty last month.
In a statement regarding the charges, New Hampshire prosecutors alleged the pair asked people to lie about Elijah’s whereabouts and violated “a duty of care, protection or support for Elijah.”
“I didn’t think it was this bad, no, I didn’t want it to be this bad,” Elijah’s uncle Randy Stewart said to NBC Boston on the autopsy results. “You just kind of hope it was peaceful, and not so barbaric, but that’s just not the case.”
No one has been charged with causing Elijah’s death. Prosecutors previously said they’d wait for the autopsy results before proceeding with charges.
The investigation into Elijah’s death is ongoing, the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office said.