MLB Hall of Famer Dennis Eckersley’s family calls the circumstances leading up to his daughter’s arrest “heartbreaking” after she allegedly misled investigators about the location of her newborn son she delivered in a tent in the bitterly cold New Hampshire woods.
“We are utterly devastated by the events that took place on Christmas night when our daughter Allie gave birth to a baby while living in a tent. It is heartbreaking that a child was born under such unthinkable circumstances and in such tragic circumstances,” the family of 26-year-old Alexandra Eckersley said in a statement.
Police: Mother gave birth to baby in New Hampshire woods, left newborn in ice-cold tent
Alexandra Eckersley, 26, was arrested on Sunday December 25 after her newborn son was found unclothed, freezing and alone on the floor of an ice-covered tent.
Officers responded to a report of a woman who had given birth to a baby just before 1am in a tent in woodland near Manchester’s West Side Arena. Eckersley allegedly revealed the child’s true location after officers searched the wrong location for over an hour. Eckersley reportedly told EMTs that “she had no idea she was pregnant and she felt like she needed to use the bathroom,” according to an affidavit.
According to the Eckersley family, their adopted daughter has suffered “a serious mental illness her entire life” and has been hospitalized several times to be treated for her illnesses. The family also states that they had no idea Alexandra was pregnant.
“We have done our very best to give Allie all the help and support humanly possible,” the family said. “Once Allie grew up, we could do even less because she was legally free to make her own decisions as long as she was not a danger to herself or others. Under the existing laws, there was simply no way to force her to get treatment. Nevertheless, we continued to support her as best we could.”
The family says Alexandra has been living on the streets in New Hampshire since she was 20, but hopes this ordeal will lead her to seek professional help.
“We always offered Allie a way home, but she made different choices,” the Eckersley family said. “We hope Allie now accepts the treatment she desperately needs for her mental health issues. We also hope that anyone who has heard this tragic story will not pass judgment on our daughter until all the facts are known.”
The Eckersley family say they are in the process of filing for custody to learn more about Alexandra’s newborn son and ultimately take control of the decision-making process.
“We thank you for your support and prayers for this beautiful, innocent baby boy. We hope people understand what a painful situation this is and we respectfully ask for privacy.”
According to researchers, it was about 18 degrees when they rescued the baby.
“As soon as the baby was picked up, members of our fire department and American Medical Response handed the baby over and immediately warmed the baby up as much as possible in the back of the fire truck and drove to the hospital,” said Manchester Fire Chief Ryan Cashin.
Cashin noted that the rapid emergency response “saved the baby’s life.”
Eckersley was arraigned Tuesday in Hillsboro Superior Court-North and, according to authorities, is charged with endangering the welfare of a child, faking physical evidence, second-degree assault and reckless endangerment.
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