NH - James and Lizette Eckert, shot to death by their adopted son, 11, Alton, May 2019.

[LietKynes]

In a small New Hampshire town, terror was a trespasser - The Boston Globe

They relocated from ME in 2012.

This article reads like a short novel.

Some excerpts : " ALTON, N.H. — The boy was gone. Inside the farmhouse, where the Eckert family had come to start over, his parents lay bleeding.
Outside, snow covered the open land where they raised chickens and pigs and cows, home schooled their three children, and tried to lead lives pleasing to God.

A sign posted at the top of the narrow dirt road that led to the farm forbade government agents from trespassing, at the risk of fines, prison, or force.

In around 2010, they adopted their boys, who were then about 2 and 4 years old, from Russia through KidsFirst Adoption in Indiana, according to agency director Inna Pecar.
Russia requires annual updates about children adopted by Americans, said KidsFirst Adoption director Pecar, but the Eckerts stopped sending them after three years. Any child who comes from a Russian orphanage has trauma, Pecar said; there is often no way to know what they suffered. Sometimes, that trauma can resurface when a child hits puberty...."

Wonder if the biological daughter called 911 ?

And it's not surprising if James and Lizette were reluctant to reveal any issues the killer may have had.

They seemed like a couple who wanted to handle life without interference.

The articles point to financial issues for some reason.... a chaotic home life ?
Still unsure if this provoked the 11 year old to murder.

Second person dead in Alton, N.H., shooting

"....James Eckert, 48, suffered multiple gunshot wounds ..."
"...Lizette Eckert, 50, was found dead at a Dobbins Way home. She died from a single gunshot wound to the head, according to her autopsy...."
"...Police took an 11-year-old into custody at about 9:30 a.m. Friday following a search in the woods surrounding the Dobbins Way home, about two hours after police initially received a 911 call for a shooting there...."
"...The 11-year-old was charged under the state’s juvenile laws with the equivalent of one count of “reckless” second-degree murder and one count of attempted murder. Authorities could not say Saturday if the second death in the case would affect those charges. "

New Details About NH Couple Fatally Shot by 11-Year-Old - NBC10 Boston

"...The story said the couple ran a successful chiropractic practice in Maine, but ran up substantial credit card debt and was audited by the IRS, leading to financial troubles."

Again with the financial information.... Hmmm... Is it relevant ?

Was the shooter deeply troubled and the adoptive parents didn't realize how bad it was ?

A question : As an 11 year old-- he cannot be held beyond the age of 21 or even younger. Not sure how the laws for juvenile offenders vary from state to state.

Although he could be dangerous for the rest of his life. Imo.

Couple that sought peace and simplicity on farm met with violent death | Fox News
"...Few details were offered about the youngest son, other than the observation by those who had been around the Eckerts that he was quiet and that, back in Maine, he cried a lot..."

Did either of these boys have FAS ? (fetal alcohol syndrome)

Did the adoption tell them anything about these children or their past ?

New Details Released in NH Double Shooting That Left 2 Dead - NBC10 Boston

The FB page is still up for Lizette, but most of the posts are gone.
It hasn't been memorialized.

11-year-old charged with second-degree murder under NH juvenile laws | Boston 25 News

Case working its way through a court system veiled in secrecy | Courts Cops | laconiadailysun.com
Alton murder case may be unprecedented in NH | Crime | unionleader.com


CONCORD — "...The juvenile court proceedings likely to await an 11-year-old boy accused of murdering an Alton couple spring from a 1988 law and will be tested in unprecedented ways, according to New Hampshire legal experts.
Several former prosecutors and defense lawyers said they had never heard of a murder case involving an offender this young in New Hampshire, especially a child accused of killing more than one person...."

There are so many questions.
Motive ?
Damaged from birth or early years in the orphanage ?

With respect to the deceased -- Was this boy mentally or emotionally troubled, and they had to resort to extreme measures , and he then lashed out ?

As in , they tried to handle this privately , but instead -- should have had him committed ?

What a trauma for the surviving siblings !
I hope there are family members who can take them in.

So sad.
Rest in peace , James and Lizette.

 

[kirkassoc]

Some criminals (even at this age) are just plain evil. They cannot be rehabilitated. Read about the Charlie Brandt case. He never served any time at all for murdering his pregnant Mom, attempting to murder his dad and sister. Perfectly normal upbringing. Just pure evil through and through. Suspected of 26 murders (6 proven). Appeared normal, well educated, etc. Just the evil there lurking. It was if...it was when and who.

JMO, if they let this one go after a year or so in psychiatric care, there will be more victims out there at some time.

 

[kay74]

What disturbs me is a neighbor they had in Maine, said that 11 year old was crying all the time! I am also not a fan of home-schooling. Kids should be with other kids on a daily basis not closed up at home! Very depressing.

 

[kay74]

Some criminals (even at this age) are just plain evil. They cannot be rehabilitated. Read about the Charlie Brandt case. He never served any time at all for murdering his pregnant Mom, attempting to murder his dad and sister. Perfectly normal upbringing. Just pure evil through and through. Suspected of 26 murders (6 proven). Appeared normal, well educated, etc. Just the evil there lurking. It was if...it was when and who.

JMO, if they let this one go after a year or so in psychiatric care, there will be more victims out there at some time.

Charlie Brandt? Was his mother a stepmother? Noone is born bad. Not excusing what he did, but you do not know the circumstances.

 

[kirkassoc]

Charlie Brandt? Was his mother a stepmother? Noone is born bad. Not excusing what he did, but you do not know the circumstances.

He was very close to his "real" Mother and that is who he killed. He shot his Dad first, then his Mom and tried to kill his older sister, but the gun jammed. Was a good student. I have read everything there is to read about this case (Brandt). He is just one of many (but one that stands out) who murder at a young age, are released and commit something even more horrendous (if possible). And, yes, I do believe there are some people who are born without empathy or compassion for others. Daniel Marsh (48 hours, Portrait of a Killer) is another one. His taped confession shows an evil person who admits he has never felt compassion or empathy. Then there's the teenager in Brazil who tortured her 5 year old brother and ate parts of him. Born evil...IMO, yes. You are entitled to your opinion.

 

[LietKynes]

From the articles, it sounded like the children were in public school until the abrupt move to NH. Whereupon they were homeschooled. (not sure, but I think just the adopted boys and not the daughter)
Sounds like the family was a bit secretive.

Charlie Brandt's case (also here at WS) was chilling.
The topic of nature vs nurture has been debated in just about every article and documentary about the Brandt case.

My opinion changes at times; but I used to believe any child raised with a nurturing environment would automatically become a compassionate, well-balanced person.
With exception regarding medical problems that would affect the mind and personality.

I don't believe that anymore, and that has nothing to do with the Brandt case ; but someone else entirely.
Some children exhibit evil traits from early childhood and all of the medical intervention and/or therapy do not seem to alter this.

Most of the articles are repeating the same information about the Eckerts' and I can't find very much about them outside of what's been available online.
Some sources had a bit more info., but are not msm so I'll not link them here.
Neighbors made some statements, but again they said they didn't get to know the family well.

It'd be interesting to know what the older brother has to say about his sibling and their home life.
Unless the older brother is afraid of the shooter ?

There's probably not going to be a lot of information available due to the age of the perp., and the msm articles allude to the fact that this crime is unprecedented , because of this.
If NH lets him out early, I think they're going to regret it !

My .02 is that he should be locked away for the remainder of his days.
If he needs meds and/or therapy, let him have it behind bars.

 

[human]

I sure wonder how the kids were treated in their home.

 

[LietKynes]

Adoptive Parents Lizette and James Eckert Allegedly Murdered by 11-Year-Old
".....Ward declined to comment on who made the 911 call, what type of weapon was used, how the 11-year-old was identified as a suspect, and whether he was injured. (The Alton Police Department had no records of previous calls to the Eckert home.)..."

"...Autopsies revealed both James and Lizette died of a single gunshot to the head...."

Bolding mine

Either there were not warning signs, or the parents dealt with the son privately ?Especially if one or both boys had possible mental/emotional issues ?
I think it's safe to say that the murderer had issues !

Earlier articles I'd linked to stated that James was shot more than once.

If a shotgun was used.. they're somewhat heavy for an 11 year-old. It's too bad that the dad couldn't have wrestled the gun away from him.
And --respectfully-- what the hell were unsecured guns doing around these children ?
Or did this shooter know where the key to the gun cabinet was kept and steal it ?
So many unanswered questions.

Unsure if 'The Daily Beast' is msm. I am looking for more sources with updated information -- and any sources are very few and far between.


Valley News - Officials say Alton 11-year-old could be state’s youngest person to face murder charges

"...Age 11 meets neither threshold and, therefore, the case brought against the boy will proceed behind closed doors with few ever knowing the outcome, said former New Hampshire attorney general Michael Delaney...."

".... Multiple criminal experts could not cite any case in state history where an 11-year-old faced murder charges. The Concord Monitor set out to determine whether the case was unprecedented for the state, but crime statistics were inconclusive. Data requests to state agencies and the courts are still pending.
Authorities have said the boy’s age precludes them from releasing much information about the incident in Alton, including whether he is being detained pending an adjudicatory hearing, or even where he is being held...."
Bolding mine.

So, others are seeking this information as well.
And maybe more people are concerned about this killer's possible early release, due to his age ?
Eleven years old is young, but old enough to know that what you're doing is wrong.

I'd think that if he's released at 21 or even later, the public should at least be forewarned that he's on the loose.

Eta : There is a veil of secrecy surrounding the shooter....
Is it possible (in the James Bulger case-- both killers were protected and given new identities) that he'll be quietly released at some point and given a new name ?

God help the people in the city he's released into. I'd have chills if he lived in my town --even if he was 30 years old.

 

[janewall]

I think sociopaths exist and that even very young children can display sociopathic behaviors.

That said, I also wonder about the home environment. This case triggers alarm bells reminiscent of the Hart family. Especially glaring factors are the evasiveness of the parents, the apparently increasing isolation of the adopted children, the seeking of those adoptive children far away and not locally, then refusing to comply with child welfare requirements (in this case from the Russian adoption bureaucracy and not US child services in various states, but this still indicates devious or uncooperative parental behavior, and a willingness to view one's own situation as exceptional and therefore not obliged to follow established rules.)

 

[Breezie]

I think sociopaths exist and that even very young children can display sociopathic behaviors.

That said, I also wonder about the home environment. This case triggers alarm bells reminiscent of the Hart family. Especially glaring factors are the evasiveness of the parents, the apparently increasing isolation of the adopted children, the seeking of those adoptive children far away and not locally, then refusing to comply with child welfare requirements (in this case from the Russian adoption bureaucracy and not US child services in various states, but this still indicates devious or uncooperative parental behavior, and a willingness to view one's own situation as exceptional and therefore not obliged to follow established rules.)

Post-Adoption Reporting Overview

They gave 3 post adoption reports, so according to this, they may met the requirement, after 3 years, or they were only obligated to send one more. The 4th report is due between 35 and 37 months home. If the adoption agency is counting 3 reports, after the 5 month report, then they met their obligation.


Russia requires four post-adoption reports to provide information regarding the welfare of children adopted by U.S. families.

• The initial post-adoption home study should be done at least five months after the court order granting adoption goes into effect, and the post-adoption report is due no later than the end of the seventh month.
• The second post-adoption home study should be done at eleven months after the court order granting adoption goes into effect, and the post-adoption report is due no later than the end of the 13th month after the court order.
• The third post-adoption home study should be done 23 months after the court order granting adoption goes into effect, and the post-adoption report is due no later than the end of the 25th month after the court order.
• The fourth post-adoption home study should be done 35 months after the court order granting adoption goes into effect, and the post-adoption report is due no later than the end of the 37th month after the court order.

 

[LietKynes]

I sure wonder how the kids were treated in their home.

Agreed.


Adoptive Parents Lizette and James Eckert Allegedly Murdered by 11-Year-Old

"....Many of the Eckerts’ friends say they didn’t see any outward signs of trouble at home.
One fellow St. Katharine Drexel parishioner, Gertrude Hammond, told the New Hampshire Union Leader that the weekend before Lizette and Jim died, they were in attendance at Mass, followed by the annual bingo night.
“The boys are altar servers. They’re just an integral part of the parish,” Hammond said, adding that the Eckert brothers ran around with dust pans, helping their older sister, who was sweeping during the bingo event.
The Rev. Sam Hollo, of Community Church of Alton, where members also knew the Eckerts, said they appeared to be a loving family. “Every indication we had is that Jim and his wife were a wonderful couple and very good parents from everything we know, and that adds to the shock of this,” Hollo told the Union Leader...."

Everything that I've linked to referenced the parents as compassionate people.

Of course, so did the Harts' friends. So there's that.

I feel like I know nothing about this family, despite glowing references.

There's the neighbor saying that the youngest boy (the killer) cried often at their ME residence.
I'd still like to know what the sister and older of the two boys has to say !

As far as the started by the maternal grandma--- an earlier article said that Lizette's dad bought the NH farm for them, so couldn't that be sold and the proceeds going towards the surviving siblings ?

One could also argue that any monies the parents had could go towards a lawyer for the perp.

Although they'd fled ME due to debt issues, so maybe the bank will seize their current property ? Eta : since the house and land were purchased by Lizette's father, the bank wouldn't be able to take it.

The only reason for msm referencing the debt issue was to highlight a possible tension in the home ? It's as if those following this case are trying to understand what caused this to happen.

Again, since James and Lizette are unable to speak for themselves, we are left with the children's accounts.

And if they are now with family on either parents' side... they may have been asked not to talk out of privacy concerns.
Which is understandable.

 

[LietKynes]

I think sociopaths exist and that even very young children can display sociopathic behaviors.

That said, I also wonder about the home environment. This case triggers alarm bells reminiscent of the Hart family. Especially glaring factors are the evasiveness of the parents, the apparently increasing isolation of the adopted children, the seeking of those adoptive children far away and not locally, then refusing to comply with child welfare requirements (in this case from the Russian adoption bureaucracy and not US child services in various states, but this still indicates devious or uncooperative parental behavior, and a willingness to view one's own situation as exceptional and therefore not obliged to follow established rules.)

SABBM

You and me both.

 

[Synergizer Bunny]

What disturbs me is a neighbor they had in Maine, said that 11 year old was crying all the time! I am also not a fan of home-schooling. Kids should be with other kids on a daily basis not closed up at home! Very depressing.

From what I read, it appears that they were living large in Maine, with the best of everything. At this time, they were both chiropractors doing very well. They were active with their children.

Then, things rapidly declined when they were audited by the IRS. They owed back taxes. I believe that the appealed their case and lost, which put them further in debt.

They stopped paying their bills and mortgage. Their activities with their children ceased, with the kids being largely unsupervised. This is when the neighbor heard the boy crying all of the time.

They left $550,000 in unpaid mortgage and moved, apparently to get away from the IRS and their debts. The farm in NH was purchased by the wife's father. So, the IRS couldn't seize it.

They homeschooled and stayed to themselves. IMO, they isolated themselves to keep from being found.

Something drove this boy to this point of desperation. I sure hope that they get this kid help. I really feel that this kid needs counseling and can definitely be rehabilitated (unless something is released that states otherwise).

 

[kay74]

From what I read, it appears that they were living large in Maine, with the best of everything. At this time, they were both chiropractors doing very well. They were active with their children.

Then, things rapidly declined when they were audited by the IRS. They owed back taxes. I believe that the appealed their case and lost, which put them further in debt.

They stopped paying their bills and mortgage. Their activities with their children ceased, with the kids being largely unsupervised. This is when the neighbor heard the boy crying all of the time.

They left $550,000 in unpaid mortgage and moved, apparently to get away from the IRS and their debts. The farm in NH was purchased by the wife's father. So, the IRS couldn't seize it.

They homeschooled and stayed to themselves. IMO, they isolated themselves to keep from being found.

Something drove this boy to this point of desperation. I sure hope that they get this kid help. I really feel that this kid needs counseling and can definitely be rehabilitated (unless something is released that states otherwise).

WOW. Imagine the financial tension going on in that house and those two boys home all the time listening to this, NOT a good enviorment for kids.They should have been out in school. As far as knowing what went on, I say 11 year olds can't talk good, they are quiet and not understanding. I think they would hear more from the sister on how this came about.

 

[LietKynes]

Something drove this boy to this point of desperation. I sure hope that they get this kid help. I really feel that this kid needs counseling and can definitely be rehabilitated (unless something is released that states otherwise).

SABBM
Snipped for brevity.

Although at this time I feel he may be beyond help; I can appreciate your comment.
You are far more trusting than I am , and there's nothing wrong with that.
I'm too cynical.

I wish the brother and sister could be interviewed by investigators.
Maybe they are or have been; just no statements released ?

 

[Breezie]

Russian adoption leads to struggle for Beach family

This is an older article, but it does a good job, describing how a son adopted from Russia, became increasingly violent, as he got older. Fetal Alcohol Syndrome is common with adopted children from Russia.


After being referred by his pediatrician to a succession of specialists, in 2006 Roman was diagnosed with fetal alcohol syndrome, an array of mental, physical and growth problems caused by the mother's consumption of alcohol during pregnancy. It is the leading preventable cause of mental disability.

Life in the Harshaw household became a grim slide from normalcy as his parents and siblings tried to cope with Roman's volatile behavior.

One day, Roman and Grace were playing in the back yard when Grace grew tired of the game and began to walk away. Roman, suddenly enraged, picked up a 2-by-4. Only his mother's scream stopped him from smashing his sister in the head.

"Two minutes later, he had no idea what he'd done," Julie Harshaw said.

Another time, a family friend was watching the children when Roman pulled Grace into the backyard pool and held her underwater until the friend jumped in, fully clothed, and pulled her out.

He has also tried to attack his sister with a steak knife.

His aggression has gotten him booted out of a neighborhood private school and a therapeutic program at a city recreation center.

Two weeks ago, he was admitted to Cumberland Hospital for Children and Adolescents in New Kent County for evaluation. Where he will go after that is unclear. With an IQ of 53, he functions on the level of a 2-year-old. A s he continues to develop physically, his aggression will become harder to control.

"He has a very dismal future," Julie Harshaw said. "He will never live independently. He will have to be in a closely managed group home."

 

[Breezie]

The Eckerts started homeschooling, after the 2012 move, when their youngest son would have been four. They missed the opportunity to have him work with specialists at school.

There may have been many signs that he was having some problems before this happened. It is hard to imagine that this just happened out of the blue.


In a small New Hampshire town, terror was a trespasser - The Boston Globe

On Facebook, Lizette “liked” a TV show called “Disconnected Kids, Reconnected Families” and a page for “Beyond Trauma and Attachment,” a group that supports parents raising children who have suffered complex trauma and have attachment difficulties. But there are few other clues about their life at home with the boys. The woman who runs the trauma and attachment group said she never spoke to Lizette. Neither James nor Lizette gave any hint of any trouble with either of the boys, friends said.

When DeLemus tries to puzzle it out now, she wonders if her friends’ youngest son was having problems but they kept quiet to protect him. But she admits she doesn’t know.

 

[jjenny]

The kids might have been adopted from Russia, but even with the faces blurred out in the photo, they don't appear to be of Russian ethnicity. Vast majority of children in Russian orphanages are not actual orphans but children whose parents either gave them up or lost parental rights.
So there could be a lot of issues (genetic, or parents being alcohol or drug abusers) with the children. People adopt, but often they don't realize the problems the child might end up having. There are diseases such as schizophrenia that don't even manifest until late teens, and child can appear perfectly fine before that. Russia stopped all adoptions to US, by the way.

 

[moonriverfarm]

I wondered about this as well. The boys appear to be African American.

 

[LietKynes]

Could they be Mongolian Russians ? There was an article in Nat. Geo. that highlighted Siberian horse breeders... but those people appeared more of an oriental ethnicity.

I've checked for more updates about this tragedy and couldn't find anything new.
Most articles actually reference the Globe article.

Will post more if I can locate something.
B/c of the age of the perp -- scant information will be forthcoming.
The adoption agency might be a possibility worth looking into.