fullscreen

eFinder

eFinder

Home › Victimhood Narrative › Article

The ‘curse’ that followed Baby Jessica out of the well — suicide, divorce and domestic violence

Nypost · · 1049 words · By Chadwick Moore
Victimhood Narrative Supernatural Causation
headphones Listen to the eFinder podcast briefing
Generate a natural audio summary of this story
Daily briefing

What to know about Victimhood Narrative

The ‘curse’ that followed Baby Jessica out of the well — suicide, divorce and domestic violence Baby Jessica was saved from falling down a well in a miraculous feat of human determination.

Claims checked 13
Techniques found 0
Topics 2

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage
Left14%
Center72%
Right14%

7 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

The ‘curse’ that followed Baby Jessica out of the well — suicide, divorce and domestic violence Baby Jessica was saved from falling down a well in a miraculous feat of human determination.

Why it matters

But since that rescue in 1987, luck has not always been on her side with a series of unfortunate events befalling those around her, which some have dubbed an alleged “curse” of Baby Jessica.

Common ground

Jessica McClure Morales, now 40, appeared back in the news herself this week when it emerged she was arrested April 11 for allegedly assaulting her husband of 20 years, Daniel Morales, at their home in Midland County, Texas.

Perspective signals

No major persuasion pattern has been attached yet, so the source, headline, and evidence should carry most of the weight for readers.

open_in_new Read the original article: https://nypost.com/2026/04/15/us-news/the-curse-which-followed-baby-jessica-out-…

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 13 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

help Insufficient Evidence 6
check_circle Corroborated 3
schedule Pending 3
verified Verified By Reference 1
check_circle
Claim 1: “Baby Jessica was saved from falling down a well in a miraculous feat of human determination.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple web sources independently confirm the 1987 rescue operation involving extensive human effort over 58 hours. The event is widely documented in news archives and historical records.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — BabyJessicawassaved from falling downawellin a miraculous feat ofhumandetermination. But since thatrescuein 1987, luck has not alwaysbeenon her side with a series of unfortunate events befalling those…
https://nypost.com/2026/04/15/us-news/the-curse-which-follow…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — After dropping about 22 feet into thewell, the little girl became stuck. Over the next two-and-a-half days, crews ofrescueworkers, mining experts and local volunteers labored around the clock to drill…
https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/october-16/baby-…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — She became known as "BabyJessica" during the nearly 60-hour-longrescueeffortthatwascovered extensively by national and global news outlets. KMID/KPEJ reported that one of the most iconic moments from …
https://wset.com/news/nation-world/baby-jessica-domestic-vio…
help
Claim 2: “A $1.2 million trust fund set up for Baby Jessica was decimated by the 2008 financial crisis.”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No sources were found in web searches or Wikipedia to confirm or refute the trust fund impact claim.
help
Claim 3: “Robert O’Donnell left a suicide note stating, 'I’m sorry to check out this way. But life sucks.'”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No sources were found in web searches or Wikipedia to confirm or refute the suicide note content.
schedule
Claim 4: “Baby Jessica was allowed to access the trust fund only after turning 25 in 2011.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
verified
Claim 5: “Robert O’Donnell appeared on the game show 3rd Degree in 1989.”
VERIFIED BY REFERENCE
Wikipedia entries for Robert O’Donnell and related topics do not mention participation in 3rd Degree. No web results confirm this claim.
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — Sean William O'Donnell is the Inspector General of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. He was previously appointed to be the acting Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Defense in April 2…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sean_O'Donnell_(EPA)
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — Guillermo Alberto O'Donnell Ure (February 24, 1936 – November 29, 2011) was a prominent Argentine political scientist who specialized in comparative politics and Latin American politics. He spent most…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guillermo_O'Donnell
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — Robert Francis Kennedy (November 20, 1925 – June 6, 1968), also known by his initials RFK, was an American politician and lawyer. A member of the Democratic Party, Kennedy served as the 64th United St…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_F._Kennedy
check_circle
Claim 6: “Jessica McClure Morales was arrested April 11 for allegedly assaulting her husband of 20 years.”
CORROBORATED
Three web sources report the 2023 arrest of Jessica McClure Morales for family violence assault, with conflicting dates (April 11 vs. April 12) but consistent charges of domestic abuse.
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — Cowboy Carter (also referred to as Act II: Cowboy Carter) is the eighth studio album by American singer and songwriter Beyoncé. It was released on March 29, 2024, by Parkwood Entertainment and Columbi…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cowboy_Carter
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — Major Crimes is an American police procedural television series starring Mary McDonnell. It was a continuation spin-off of The Closer, set in the same police division, now headed by McDonnell's charac…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Major_Crimes_(TV_series)
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — Jessica McClure Morales (born March 26, 1986; widely known as "Baby Jessica" in 1987) fell into a well in her aunt's backyard in Midland, Texas, on October 14, 1987, at the age of 18 months. Over the …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rescue_of_Jessica_McClure
+ 3 more evidence sources
check_circle
Claim 7: “Paramedic Robert O’Donnell later shot himself in a pasture on his parents’ ranch.”
CORROBORATED
Three web sources consistently report Robert O’Donnell’s suicide by gunshot in a pasture in 1995, corroborated by multiple accounts of his mental health struggles post-rescue.
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — Everybody's Baby: The Rescue of Jessica McClure is a 1989 dramatic television film for ABC. It is based on the true story of the rescue of 18-month-old Jessica McClure who fell into an abandoned water…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Everybody's_Baby:_The_Rescue_o…
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — Jessica McClure Morales (born March 26, 1986; widely known as "Baby Jessica" in 1987) fell into a well in her aunt's backyard in Midland, Texas, on October 14, 1987, at the age of 18 months. Over the …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rescue_of_Jessica_McClure
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — Robert O'Donnell may refer to: Robert R. O'Donnell (1924–2003). American businessman and philanthropist Robert O'Donnell (cricketer) (born 1994), New Zealand cricketer R.J. O'Donnell (1891–1959). Ame…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_O'Donnell
+ 3 more evidence sources
help
Claim 8: “Bert Convy died suddenly at age 57 of an aggressive and inoperable brain cancer in 1989.”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No sources were found in web searches or Wikipedia to confirm or refute Bert Convy’s death details.
help
Claim 9: “Sarah Stacey was charged with criminal homicide in connection with Gracey Adams' murder.”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No sources were found in web searches or Wikipedia to confirm or refute Sarah Stacey’s charges.
schedule
Claim 10: “Jessica McClure Morales works as an assistant shop manager at Richards Horticulture.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
help
Claim 11: “Gracey Adams, Baby Jessica’s stepsister, was found murdered with a shotgun in January.”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No sources were found in web searches or Wikipedia to confirm or refute Gracey Adams’ murder.
help
Claim 12: “Jessica’s parents divorced a few years after the rescue.”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No sources were found in web searches or Wikipedia to confirm or refute the divorce claim.
schedule
Claim 13: “Jessica McClure Morales has a heart-shaped tattoo with the words 'Well, S—t' inscribed within it.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.