Trial for woman accused of abandoning newborn delayed until July
By Tim Callery
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MANCHESTER, New Hampshire (WMUR) — A trial has been delayed for a Manchester woman accused of abandoning her newborn baby in the woods shortly after giving birth.
The trial of Alexandra Eckersley was supposed to start this month, but during a pretrial hearing Wednesday, the judge announced it will be delayed until July.
The delay comes over concerns about expert testimony. Last week, the state filed a motion to exclude testimony from a forensic psychologist that the defense wants to put on the stand.
In their motion, prosecutors said they were given short notice about the testimony.
The defense filed a similar motion, requesting that the court exclude any expert testimony offered by the state in the trial.
Eckersley’s attorneys said New Hampshire’s rules of criminal procedure state that expert disclosures and associated qualifications shall be made within 45 days of entry of a not guilty plea.
They said their client was arraigned more than a year ago, and the state has not disclosed any witness on its list as an expert.
Eckersley is facing several charges, including endangering the welfare of a child, after she was accused of giving birth in the woods and abandoning her newborn on Christmas night in 2022.
Eckersley is out on bail and appeared via video for Wednesday’s hearing.
Jury selection is now scheduled for July 22.
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