Sexual Misconduct Charges Filed Against Dementia Patient From Kirkwood

A 62-year-old Kirkwood man with dementia has been charged by the St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney's office with first-degree sexual misconduct following an incident in Brentwood.

On May 30, John G. Edwards reportedly touched a woman's breast while in line at the before threatening to touch her again, according to a report. The incident happened at 2:25 p.m.

Edwards, of the 530 block of East Jefferson Avenue in Kirkwood, has been treated since 2005 for frontal temporal dementia, the report notes. Police confirmed his treatment with the Washington University Department of Neurology.

At the cleaners, Edwards is reported to have turned away from the counter, walked toward a woman behind him in line, and touched her breast. Then he put both hands up like he was going to grab her chest, the report notes. She stepped back and covered her chest with her arms.

Then an employee returned laundry to Edwards, who paid for it and left, the report states.

In the report, Edwards' wife is quoted as saying that Edwards no longer works or drives. She had driven him to the cleaners and was waiting outside in the car during the incident.

The police report states that when an officer called Edwards later, he said he didn’t understand why a police officer was calling him. During an interview at the police station, Edwards didn't remember going to the cleaners, the report states.