New details have emerged surrounding the case of the adopted daughter of legendary MLB pitcher Dennis Eckersley, 26-year-old Alexandra Eckersley, who was arrested in New Hampshire this week after she allegedly abandoned her son in the woods after giving birth in a tent.
A police affidavit filed in court on Tuesday revealed that Eckersley, who is homeless, misled law enforcement regarding the exact location of the newborn over fear that her tent would be taken away, the Boston Herald reported, citing court records.
“Eckersley was stating that it is very hard to survive if they had lost their tent because of the cold temperatures during the winter in Manchester,” the affidavit read, according to the outlet.
DAUGHTER OF MLB HALL OF FEAMER ALLEGEDLY ABANDONED NEWBORN CHILD IN WOODS ON CHRISTMAS: POLICE
Police said Eckersley initially directed them toward baseball fields in the area, but after speaking with an EMT, she finally revealed where the child was.
According to the report, the tent where the infant was found was described as a small tent inside a larger one. The area had a large amount of blood and several blankets. The affidavit also said that propane heat, which was used to warm the tent up, was turned off while Eckersley and her boyfriend waited outside for an ambulance, which she called just after midnight on Monday.
The affidavit also indicated that Eckersley was abusing drugs at the time, describing her as “unsteady” while speaking to law enforcement. She reportedly admitted to police that she had used cocaine days before giving birth.
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Eckersley suffered from drug problems and mental health issues for some time, according to a 2019 profile of her in the Concord Monitor. Her family told the outlet at the time that they have been “devoted to her health and wellbeing” and attempted to get her help “throughout her life.”
Assistant Hillsborough County Attorney Carl Olson said in court Tuesday that her parents have offered her drug treatment for years, which she has ultimately turned down.
“They had an open offer for her to come home on the condition that she go to treatment for drug use, and she obviously made the choice not to,” Olson said, via WCVB.
Eckersley reportedly told EMTs “she had no idea she was pregnant and that she felt she had to use the bathroom.” When asked why she left the baby, she replied, “What do they tell you when a plane goes down? Save yourself first.”
The infant was believed to be three months premature and weighed just 4.4 pounds, the Boston Herald reported. The child is expected to survive, according to law enforcement.
Manchester Police Chief Allen Aldenberg told CBS News, “Had we not collectively located that little boy when we did and rendered the first aid that was rendered, I’m quite confident the child probably would have died in that tent.”
Fox News’ Scott Thompson contributed to this report.
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