Alexandra Eckersley daughter of MLB great, Dennis Eckersley, leaves newborn to freeze in the woods as homeless woman afflicted with mental health woes and substance abuse issues has taken to living in the woods in New Hampshire.
The adopted daughter of MLB Hall of Fame pitcher Dennis Eckersley, is facing a felony charge of reckless conduct after her newborn baby was found unclothed and freezing in 18-degree weather in a dark wooded area in New Hampshire early Monday morning.
Police responded to a report of a homeless woman who had given birth to a baby in a tent in the woods near the West Side Arena in Manchester just before 1 a.m., Boston 25 News reported.
Alexandra Eckersley, 26, allegedly refused to tell authorities about the baby’s whereabouts, instead claiming she had given birth prematurely.
After an hour of searching, police found the baby uncovered and struggling to breathe on the floor of a tent near the Piscataquag River at Electric Street, according to the Manchester Fire Department. Police transported the infant to Catholic Medical Center. The baby boy who is recovering from hypothermia is expected to live.
Alexandra was arraigned Tuesday in Hillsboro Superior Court-North, according to the Manchester Police Department. She was also arrested for endangering the welfare of a child. During proceedings, Alexandra’s lawyer argued that the woman was unaware she was pregnant and had been left dazed and disorientated by the experience and subsequent blood loss. Bail was set at $3K.
Struggling with mental illness and substance abuse
It remained unclear why the mother had sought to disavow her newborn and potentially leading to the child dying in the elements. Also not immediately clear is how the woman came to be living in the woods.
In 2019, the Concord Monitor reported Alexandra struggling with mental illness and substance abuse. The woman suffers from bipolar disorder, depression and anxiety.
‘I want to begin a homeless mental health awareness event,’ Alexandra said at the time.
‘Have it be like the telethon, or a carnival where you pay to get in, or a movie night and the money goes to a housing shelter.’
During investigations, Alexandra was identified as the daughter of Eckersley.
Dennis Eckersley played for 24 seasons, pitching for the Indians, Red Sox, Cubs, Athletics and Cardinals from 1975-98. He earned six All-Star nods, as well as the AL MVP award and the AL Cy Young Award in 1992. He was named the ALCS MVP in 1988, before winning a World Series with the Athletics in 1989.
Eckersley was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2004.
How did Baseball great’s daughter end up living in the woods?
In October, Eckersley retired from the NESN booth after a 19-year broadcast career with the Red Sox.
At the time, Eckersley had plans to return to his native California after the season to spend more time with his grandchildren, according to The Boston Globe.
Alexandra, also known as Allie, is the daughter of Dennis Eckersley and Nancy O’Neil, his second wife. She also has a brother named Jake.
The baseball great’s third wife Jennifer, who is a former lobbyist and manages the baseball legends business and charitable affairs spoke to the Concord Monitor in 2019.
Speaking to the outlet she revealed how Alexandra came to be in the ‘painful situation’ she found herself in.
‘As you can imagine this is an incredibly private and painful situation,’ she said.
‘We have given her unconditional love, nurturing and support’
‘Dennis and Nancy decline speaking to you about it, as it’s simply too painful. Instead, the family offers this statement:
‘As a family, we have been devoted to her health and wellbeing. We have given her unconditional love, nurturing and support.
‘We have left no stone unturned in seeking the help, resources, programs and professionals she has needed throughout her life.
‘Once she became of legal age our ability to intervene on her behalf became far more limited.’
