Alexandra Eckersley sentenced in NH baby abandonment case – NBC Boston

A mother accused of abandoning her newborn baby after birth in subfreezing temperatures in the New Hampshire woods was sentenced Thursday to probation with a requirement to receive regular mental health counseling.

In August, jurors found 27-year-old Alexandra Eckersley, the daughter of Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher Dennis Eckersley, guilty, but not of the indictment, of reckless conduct, endangering the welfare of a child and tampering with evidence Assault. On Thursday she received separate prison sentences – one year on the evidence tampering charge and six months on the endangerment charge, both suspended provided she complies with the court's conditions.

She had testified during her trial earlier this year that she did not know she was pregnant and thought the child had died after she gave birth on Christmas night 2022. A psychologist testified that Eckersley suffered from a substance use disorder and mental and developmental problems and that she received no treatment.

Eckersley was homeless at the time and gave birth in a tent in Manchester, New Hampshire. During the trial, prosecutors said their son survived after being left alone for more than an hour, suffering from shortness of breath and hypothermia as temperatures dropped to 15 degrees Fahrenheit.

Alexandra Eckersley, 26, was charged with felony reckless conduct, Manchester police said.

The Eckersley family released a statement shortly after her arrest saying they were unaware of her pregnancy and were in complete shock. The family said she had suffered from “severe mental illness throughout her life” and they had done their best to get her help and support.

Dennis Eckersley was drafted out of high school by Cleveland in 1972 and played 24 seasons for Cleveland, Boston, Chicago, Oakland and St. Louis.