Dennis Eckersley’s Family ‘Devastated’ Over Baby Born in Woods
🔵The daughter of current Red Sox broadcaster and former pitcher Dennis Eckesley gave birth to a child at a Manchester homeless encampment early Christmas morning
🔵 Alexandra Eckersley was adopted at birth
🔵 The Eckersley family said Alexandra Eckersley has always struggled with her mental health
The Eckersley family said they are "utterly devastated" by their daughter giving birth at a homeless encampment in Manchester on Christmas night, and were not aware of her pregnancy.
Alexandra Eckersley, 26, delivered a child in the early hours of Christmas Day, but gave police a false location of the infant's whereabouts. After they searched the woods in 15 degree temperatures near Manchester's West Side Arena, she took them to the child.
NBC Boston reported the child, a boy, was born three months early. He was left in the cold for 73 minutes before being found by police, according to the affidavit in Eckersey's arrest. She admitted to using cocaine and marijuana within two days of her arrest.
In their statement, the Eckersley family said they have filed a guardianship petition so they have a say in the boy's future.
"Allie has suffered from severe mental illness her entire life. Allie was hospitalized numerous times for her illness and lived in several residential programs. We did our very best to get Allie all of the help and support humanly possible," the family said in a statement.
The family also asked for people to "withhold judgement" about Alexandra until all the facts of the case are out.
Once she became an adult, it was more difficult to help Alexandra Eckersley because she could make her own decisions as long as she did not endanger herself or others. Since she was 20, Alexandra Eckersley chose to live on the streets of New Hampshire.
The Eckersley's also called the state's mental health system "broken", with less than 200 psychiatric beds for a population of 1.2 million.
"Without adequate inpatient beds for crisis, treatment and stabilization, a state mental system fails," the family wrote.
Alexandra Eckersley is being held on $3,000 bail and cannot have contact with her child. She must live at a sober living facility with a parent or another residence approved by the court.
Contact reporter Dan Alexander at Dan.Alexander@townsquaremedia.com or via Twitter @DanAlexanderNH