23-Year-Old New Hampshire Mother Granted Custody of Son She Left in Woods as a Newborn
Bollywoodfever, March, 23: A mother from New Hampshire has been awarded custody of her young son, despite accusations of leaving him in the forest shortly after his birth.
The woman, Alexandra Eckersley, who is the adopted daughter of famed Major League Baseball player Dennis Eckersley, attended a court session in Manchester on Friday, preparing for an upcoming criminal trial.
She faces several charges, including endangering the welfare of a child, stemming from the December 2022 incident where she is said to have given birth to her son in a wooded area and then allegedly left him there.
According to the prosecution, she not only abandoned her newborn but also provided misleading information to the police during their search in the cold conditions.
Despite these allegations, during the court proceedings on Friday, Eckersley was seen with her son. Reports from WMUR indicate that after a period of restricted visitation, the mother and son have now been fully reunited.
Kim Kossick, the attorney representing Alexandra Eckersley, shared with the media, “She had a baby she didn’t know she was having. I think people should understand that there’s some room for compassion for people that have a medical emergency. That’s really what this was. We’ve maintained that from the very beginning.”
Kossick further stated that since the day Eckersley gave birth, she has remained sober and is now residing with her family in Massachusetts. “She’s done all the things that she is supposed to do. She has gone to treatment. She has done everything that was asked of her. That’s why she is reunified with her child. She has been to rehab. She has done all the counseling.”
The hearing was initially scheduled to discuss the use of expert witnesses for Eckersley’s forthcoming trial but has been delayed to the following week, with the trial set for July.
Eckersley is accused of misleading the police for 73 minutes about her baby’s whereabouts, initially claiming the birth occurred near the West Side Ice Arena. Eventually, police were led to the tent she occupied with George Theberge near the Piscataquag River at Electric Street.
When questioned why she didn’t bring her baby to meet the police after calling 911, Eckersley responded, “What do they tell you when a plane goes down? Save yourself first.” Officers discovered her newborn on the ground beside a bed, following a blood trail, according to a police report cited by the Boston Globe.
Found in bloodstained clothing and under the influence, Eckersley informed officers she was unaware of her pregnancy until she gave birth in the tent, with Theberge present. The police report detailed, “She also told police the baby ‘cried immediately after birth, however, it was for less than a minute,’… ‘Once she gave birth, she did not know what to do,’ police said.”
In August, Theberge received a sentence of at least a year in prison for endangering the infant’s life, after pleading guilty to a misdemeanor child endangerment charge and securing a plea deal with the prosecution. He was also sentenced to an additional six months for a probation violation and a drug charge related to his January arrest.
Dennis Eckersley, Alexandra’s father, known as ‘Eck,’ is celebrated for his career as a professional baseball pitcher and commentator. His tenure in MLB spanned from 1975 to 1998, playing for teams like the Cleveland Indians, Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs, Oakland Athletics, and St. Louis Cardinals. Eckersley, who was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2004, is renowned for being one of two pitchers in major league history to achieve both a 20-win season and a 50-save season.
Following Alexandra’s arrest, the Eckersley family issued a statement, disclosing their ignorance of her pregnancy and highlighting her long-term struggle with severe mental illness. They emphasized their efforts to provide her with support and assistance.
Source: Dailymail
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