Funviralpark The adopted daughter of MLB Hall of Fame pitcher Dennis Eckersley has been fined for dumping a newborn baby in the woods of New Hampshire in 18 degrees Celsius weather.
Alexandra Eckersley was initially charged with felony reckless conduct and endangering the welfare of a child, but also faces second-degree assault charges for extreme indifference and tampering with physical evidence. reported WCVB.
The 26-year-old woman learned of the new charges Tuesday afternoon during a phone arraignment while in the hospital, according to news outlets.
Manchester police, responding to reports of a woman who gave birth in a tent in the woods around 1 a.m. Monday, found an uncovered baby near the Piscatacog River struggling to breathe.
According to an affidavit cited by WCVB, Eckersley told police that she didn’t know she was pregnant and admitted to using cocaine and marijuana in the days before giving birth.
She also lied to police about the baby’s whereabouts, saying she gave birth to a premature baby.
During the arraignment, prosecutors said the boy, who weighed just four pounds, was intubated at the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Hanover.
On Monday, Manchester Police Chief Allen Aldenberg said the boy was recovering, WCVB reported.
“There is no excuse for this,” says Aldenberg.
“If you choose to live in the woods, if you choose to live a certain way, if you don’t want to accept our outreach that happens every day in this city, then you can live there and make it your own life. I would like to do a — no, ”he said.
“But you can’t do this. This is what we’re advocating here. You can’t do this to your children,” Aldenberg added.
Under New Hampshire’s Safe Haven Law, babies up to seven days old can be left at a fire station, hospital, police station or church, the news channel said.
Prosecutors said Eckersley’s mother, Nancy, told authorities that she and Dennis offered drug treatment for her homeless daughter for years, but she refused, WCVB reported.
“They openly offered to let her go home on the condition that she be treated for drug use, but she clearly chose not to,” said Hillsborough County Assistant Attorney Carl Olson. ‘, he is reported to have said.
Judge Diane Nicolosi said Eckersley could be released on $3,000 cash bail provided he has no contact with children or anyone under the age of 18.
Police found the baby struggling to breathe near the Piscataquog River when the weather dropped to 18 degrees.
According to an affidavit, Eckersley told police she didn’t know she was pregnant.
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Eckersley also admitted to using cocaine and marijuana before giving birth.
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Also, according to the judge, suspects must live with their parents in a modest facility or live in a state-approved residence.
Inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2004, Dennis played 24 seasons for the Indians, Red Sox, Cubs, Athletics and Cardinals from 1975 to 1998.
He won six All-Star nods in 1992, as well as an AL MVP Award and an AL Cy Young Award.
In October, he retired from the NESN booth after a 19-year broadcasting career with the Red Sox.
