Man Acts As Child, Allegedly Gropes Nurses

CHARLESTON, W.Va. - A man allegedly groped two home health care nurses while posing as a mentally retarded man who needed his diapers changed, according to criminal complaints. William Warren Mucklow, 38, was arrested Tuesday.

The complaints, filed in Kanawha County Magistrate Court, allege that Mucklow posed as his mother to respond to ads for home health care workers and hire two nurses to care for a man who has the mind of a 2- or 3-year-old.

Mucklow then posed as a mentally retarded person, said Charleston Police Sgt. S.A. Cooper.

The nurses, who worked separately in February and March, said Mucklow grabbed their breasts while they cared for him, the complaints allege.

Mucklow, who was charged with two counts of battery, was released from the South Central Regional Jail on a $10,000 cash bond Tuesday afternoon.

Two civil lawsuits — filed by women against Mucklow for allegedly groping them while they cared for him as he acted like a child — are pending.

Deborah McCorey is seeking $6 million in compensatory and punitive damages for emotional distress.

"After several hours of the plaintiff providing care for the defendant, the defendant 'slipped up' and did act as a 40-year-old man which completely upset and traumatized" McCorey, the lawsuit states.

Three women have made similar accusations against Mucklow, with two wanting to press charges, Charleston police Detective S.A. Dempsey said.

Meanwhile, Mucklow had announced earlier this month he was chartering a bus for people wanting to get flu shots in Canada.

That trip was canceled prior to the arrest, Mucklow told the Charleston Gazette.