Jessica McClure Morales, the woman the nation knows as “Baby Jessica,” was arrested Saturday night in Midland County on a charge of assault causing bodily injury involving family violence.
Deputies with the Midland County Sheriff’s Office responded to a reported domestic disturbance at a residence in the area of South County Road 1140 just before 10 p.m. on April 11. Morales, 40, was taken into custody at the scene and later released from the Midland County Detention Center after posting bond.
The arrest brings renewed attention to Morales, who became a household name in October 1987 at age 18 months. She fell into an eight-inch-wide abandoned water well at her aunt’s backyard in Midland and remained trapped 22 feet underground for nearly 58 hours. Rescue workers drilled a parallel shaft and used specialized equipment to free her in an operation watched live by millions worldwide.
Jessica McClure Morales, who became famous as “Baby Jessica” after her 1987 rescue from a well, was arrested Saturday night following a reported domestic disturbance at her home in Midl… https://t.co/osPOH5nAzY
— DC News Now (@DCNewsNow) April 14, 2026
Morales has lived a mostly private life in Texas since then, raising a family in the Permian Basin area and rarely appearing in the public eye.
Authorities have released few details about the domestic incident. Midland County officials say the full arrest affidavit may take up to 10 days to process through a public records request. The investigation continues.
The arrest brings renewed attention to a woman who became a household name in 1987 at 18 months.
The arrest brings renewed attention to a woman who became a household name in 1987 at 18 months.
