‘Baby Jessica’ Arrested in Midland County

MIDLAND, TX — A woman who was known around the country as “Baby Jessica” was arrested Saturday in Midland County.

Jessica McClure Morales, now 40 years old, was charged with causing bodily injury involving family violence. She has since posted bond and been released from the Midland County Detention Center.

No other details have been released.

Morales became the center of the nation’s attention in 1987 when she fell down an abandoned well in her aunt’s backyard in Midland.

She was stuck about 22 feet below ground in an opening about eight inches wide, making the rescue extremely difficult.

For 58 hours, her rescue efforts dominated headlines and TV news coverage in the U.S. and beyond as Baby Jessica had no food or water.

Rescuers were eventually able to dig a cross tunnel and save her.

Morales required numerous childhood surgeries due to being stuck with her leg elevated above her head the entire time. In an interview with People magazine in 2017, she said she didn’t suffer any long-term effects and had no memories of the ordeal.