Alexandra Eckersley: MLB legend Dennis Eckersley’s daughter who left newborn freezing in woods arrested
MANCHESTER, NEW HAMPSHIRE: The adopted daughter of a former Boston Red Sox pitcher and MLB Hall of Famer, Dennis Eckersley, has been arrested after giving birth and leaving her newborn baby unclothed in 18-degree weather in a dark wooded area in New Hampshire early Monday morning, December 26. Alexandra Eckersley, 26, who struggles with mental illness and substance abuse, was arraigned on Tuesday, December 27, in Hillsboro Superior Court-North on charges including endangering the welfare of a child, falsifying physical evidence, second-degree assault, and reckless conduct.
According to police, officers responded to the area of the West Side Arena at about 12.40 am on December 26 after receiving a report of a woman who had delivered a baby in the woods in that area. Authorities said in a statement via Facebook, "Manchester Police and Fire and American Medical Response personnel searched the area where the mother of the baby directed them, however, they were unable to locate the child. After nearly an hour, the mother revealed the true location of the baby and led officers to the area." Police allegedly found the baby uncovered and "struggling to breathe" on the floor of a tent near the Piscataquog River at Electric Street, the New York Post reported. "There, officers located the baby who was treated by EMTs and transported to a local hospital for treatment," read the statement.
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Describing the details, Manchester Fire Chief Ryan Cashin said, as quoted by Boston25News, "When they got on scene, the mother of the child gave multiple locations of where the baby could be, stated she could not remember where the baby was, and multiple different areas were searched for the child before the mother finally stated the baby was in the tent where the mother was living. As soon as the baby was picked up, members of our fire department and American Medical Response got handed the baby and immediately warmed the baby as much as they could in the back of the fire truck and drove to the hospital."
A Manchester police officer stated in the affidavit that Eckersley appeared to be under the influence of drugs. Cashin explained, “The mother’s responsibility is to the child and that responsibility was definitely neglected. There was no heat source in the tent whatsoever... She was not forthcoming, obviously, on the baby’s location. She was very distressed, very elusive.” Assistant County Attorney Carl Olson of the Hillsborough County Attorney’s Office added by saying, "If she posts bail, then the State will monitor her to ensure she complies with all the conditions set by the judge. If she violates any condition, then we will file a motion to revoke her bail. I hope she remains in compliance.”