Everybody’s Baby: The Rescue of Jessica McClure

Cissy steps inside to answer a phone call, leaving Jessica and the other children unattended in the large backyard. When she returns, Jessica is missing. The children point to a narrow pipe—the opening of an abandoned well—where faint sounds confirm Jessica is trapped inside.

The first officers on the scene, Andy Glasscock and Manny Beltran, are stunned by how Jessica ended up in the pipe. They are initially unsure how to rescue her. The team quickly shifts into search-and-rescue mode as they coordinate with other responders.

Dozens of emergency service workers, reporters, and onlookers converge on the backyard. An earth-mover is brought in to excavate around the pipe in hopes of reaching the opening. The attention underscores the scale of the drama unfolding.

The vibrations from the digging cause Jessica to slip deeper into the pipe. Rescuers realize the initial approach may be unsafe and other strategies must be explored.

Police Chief Richard Czech and Fire Chief James Roberts develop a plan to dig a parallel shaft and tunnel across to reach the abandoned well. Their plan aims to bypass the fractured pipe and approach Jessica from a separate route.

The shaft must be 28 feet deep, with nearly all of it cutting through solid rock. Progress stalls as the rock proves tougher than expected.

Encountering the tough rock requires a diamond-tipped drill bit to continue. Teams push forward despite the technical setback.

Rescuers are offered a high-speed water drill for free, including costs to transport. The offer provides a potential shortcut to tunnel across to Jessica.

When the tunnel finally connects, paramedic Robert O'Donnell is tasked with retrieving Jessica. The narrow space and the drilling work create a dangerous extraction environment.

O'Donnell is initially forced to retreat due to claustrophobia. He later makes the decision to attempt the rescue again.

A doctor instructs that it’s acceptable to break bones if necessary to pull her free, as long as her neck, back, and head remain unharmed. This guidance informs the approach for the final retrieval.

O'Donnell returns and, guided by the doctor's instructions, manages to pull Jessica free. The moment marks a turning point in the rescue.

The ordeal lasts over 58 hours from Jessica's disappearance to her rescue. Rescuers' persistence and teamwork are highlighted by the community's response.

Jessica is rescued and the scene quiets as relief washes over the backyard. The dramatic rescue becomes a defining moment for those involved and the community.