Homeless woman gave birth, left newborn in tent, police say
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Dec. 26—The adopted daughter of Red Sox pitching great Dennis Eckersley faces a felony charge for allegedly leaving her premature newborn uncovered in a tent in frigid temperatures.
Authorities searched frantically for the newborn, a search hampered with Alexandra Eckersley allegedly provided false information about the location of the tent, authorities said.
Eckersley is homeless and suffers from mental illness, according to a profile about her that ran in the Concord Monitor in 2019. The article quoted her about her parents, and the Eckersley family confirmed at that time that she is their daughter.
Around 12:40 Monday morning, police and fire-rescue personnel were called to the area of West Side Arena for the woman who had given birth to a baby in the woods. The baby could not be found, according to a Manchester police news release.
Alexandra Eckersley was arrested on an unrelated warrant out of Concord District Court for endangering the welfare of a child and was subsequently charged with reckless conduct in connection with the weekend incident.
First responders searched for more than an hour for the newborn, according to fire District Chief Jon Starr.
The temperature was approximately 18 degrees, according to the fire department.
First responders were given inaccurate information on the child's location, according to the fire department.
"After nearly an hour, the mother revealed the true location of the baby and led officers to the area," police said.
The fire department was sent to the area of 3 Electric St. where they met the woman who had just given birth prematurely near the baseball field, according to a news release from the fire department.
"The search was hampered by inconsistent information until it was learned the baby was located in a tent on the west side of the trestle that crosses the Piscataquog River at Electric Street," the release said.
The baby was found uncovered on the floor of the tent, and was brought to Engine 6 for warmth and assistance with breathing and driven to Catholic Medical Center.
"The baby was alive when it got to the hospital," Starr said.
Asked about the baby's condition, the police department's Public Information Officer Heather Hamel said via email on Monday evening, "I can tell you that the baby is expected to survive."
Eckersley was brought to Elliot Hospital.
According to the news release, the fire department has reached out to those living in isolated campsites during the cold weather, including rounds made on Monday.
Mayor Joyce Craig thanked both departments and American Medical Response for helping save the baby.
"Without their life-saving actions, this situation could have ended much worse," she said in a statement. "In Manchester, numerous city departments and nonprofit organizations conduct outreach activities to assist and direct people living unhoused to the Families In Transition emergency shelter and the warming station at 1269 Cafe."
The FiT shelter, however, has been at or near capacity for months, and homeless people have taken to living in tents outside the shelter.
Craig encouraged anyone struggling with mental health issues, substance use disorder, or homelessness across New Hampshire to call 211 to connect to available services and sheltering.
