Police in California arrested a San Diego mother of a 6-month-old baby Thursday after a viral Facebook video allegedly showed the baby being slapped and abused by an unknown person. The video was posted along with photos that showed the same infant holding a pocket knife with an open blade.

Eighteen-year-old Jowi Victoria Morales was taken into custody from her home on South Pardee Street in Mountain View, according to San Diego Police Department's Lt. Scott Wahl. The young mother faced an outstanding domestic abuse charge and was booked at Las Colina Women's Facility. She was released late Thursday after paying the bail amount of $50,000.

Before being arrested, Morales spoke with ABC's 10 News saying it was not her in the video and that people were sending her threats. The video clip reportedly showed a person’s hand striking a baby’s head three times, following which the child started crying. The post also included two images showing the same child holding a knife. Shortly after the video was posted, police received multiple calls from people concerned about the safety of the child.

Wahl said that the baby was found safe and unharmed and was taken into protective custody. Child abuse and domestic violence investigators were looking into the case. The child’s father, Luis Lara, told KGTV-TV he was angry when he saw the video, and it “hurts my soul.”

Ashley Butcher, who rallied her friends to alert authorities and FOX 5 about it, told local media that she was shocked when she saw the video and was trying to get in touch with Morales. "My head was spinning around in circles," Butcher said. "I was mad. I was infuriated. I was asking myself, why would a mother do this to her child, especially a child so small and defenseless?"

"It was just a big group of girls trying to figure out what is happening, where is this girl," Butcher said. "We just wanted her to get the baby safe." After several hours, Butcher was able to get in touch with Morales via FaceTime. "I just wanted to talk to her to make her come to her senses, to turn herself in and do what's best for the baby," Butcher said.

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