Jessica McClure Morales, the woman widely known as “Baby Jessica” after she was rescued from a deep well in 1987, was arrested Saturday following allegations of a domestic disturbance at her Midland County home, NBC affiliate KXAN reports.
Deputies with the Midland County Sheriff’s Office responded to her residence around 10 p.m. local time and Morales was taken into custody at the scene, according to arrest records.
The 40-year-old was charged with assault causing bodily injury involving family violence.
She was later released from the Midland County Detention Center after posting bond.
Officials have released limited information about the incident and an arrest affidavit was not yet available.
Morales gained worldwide attention in October 1987 when she fell 22 feet into a narrow well casing outside her aunt’s Midland home. The 18-month-old became lodged in the eight-inch-wide shaft.
Emergency crews worked around the clock for nearly 60 hours to free Baby Jessica during a rescue mission that gripped the nation. Rescuers eventually drilled a parallel shaft and a horizontal tunnel through rock to reach her.
At one point during the rescue, crews reportedly heard the toddler singing, bringing a them a sign of hope during a stressful operation.
