Man sentenced for abandoning newborn after woman gave birth in woods last year

MANCHESTER, N.H. — A man was sentenced this week for abandoning a baby boy believed to be his son after the child’s mother gave birth in the woods of New Hampshire last year.

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George Theberge, 45, was sentenced Monday to at least a year in jail for endangering the life of a newborn. Theberge pleaded guilty to the charge after making a deal with prosecutors, according to The Associated Press. He will also serve an additional six months for a drug charge and a probation violation stemming from his arrest.

The baby was found in the woods on Dec. 26, 2022, the Manchester Police Department said. Investigators believe that Theberge was with the baby’s mother when she gave birth.

The newborn was left by himself in a tent for over an hour after he was born, officials said, according to the AP. The temperature that night was 15 degrees.

The newborn was reportedly MLB Hall of Fame pitcher Dennis Eckersley’s grandson, the AP reported. Eckersley’s daughter gave birth in the woods last year when temperatures were at subfreezing levels.

Alexandra Eckersley, 26, the baby’s mother, was arrested on an unrelated warrant for endangering the welfare of a child and was charged with reckless conduct related to the newborn baby, police said in a news release. She pleaded not guilty to charges and was released on bail. Her trial is expected next year.

In a police affidavit obtained by the AP, Theberge was identified as Eckersley’s boyfriend. Eckersley’s lawyer said that she was unaware that she was pregnant and gave birth alone and ended up calling 911 before leading officers to the baby. She suffered medical complications and went to rehabilitation programs.

Her family released a statement following her arrest and claimed that she suffered from mental illness, the AP reported.