GRANT COUNTY, Ind. — Women ranging from 15 to 73 years old filed a medical malpractice lawsuit against former Dr. William David Moore, a former OB/GYN accused of performing inappropriate medical exams and taking photos of patients. The lawsuit also accused three health care facilities of failing to protect them from abuse they sustained at his hands for years.
The lawsuit filed on behalf of 83 Jane Does accused Moore's Women's Healthcare, Marion General Hospital and Ambulatory Care Center of failing to monitor and supervise Moore even while they were aware women were being abused at his practice.
Last January, 13News reported on claims of sexual assault women said they suffered during appointments with Moore.
According to a filed petition, a patient only identified as Patient B told investigators that during an appointment, Moore asked her if she was sexually active.
Patient B told him no and that she was a virgin. He replied by saying, "Oh, you're so pure."
During that same appointment, Patient B reported Moore stated to her, "If you aren't sexually active within the next year, I will have to manually break your hymen because it's hard for me to see."
After meeting with detectives, Patient B learned there were multiple photos of her lower body, including her genitals, in her medical chart.
Other patients came forward, telling investigators Moore touched them inappropriately, took non-consensual photos of their genitals and even brought them in for frequent exams without providing them results.
A nurse at Marion General Hospital also came forward. She reported that she had been told by nurses who worked with Moore that during vaginal deliveries, they would have to assist him in covering his lap as he often had erections during the deliveries. The nurse told investigators she'd reported it to Marion General Hospital.
Lawyers representing the women claimed in the lawsuit the health care facilities failed in their duty to protect them, and that they had "actual and constructive knowledge and was on notice of the allegations of medical negligence and abuse of female patients" but "took no effective steps to detect, prevent or report the negligence."
The suit outlined how the women continue to suffer severe emotional distress, mental trauma and humiliation from their exams with Moore. Some of the patients had seen Moore throughout the duration of his three-decade career in Grant County.
Moore's medical license was suspended earlier this year.
Five women came forward in January to testify before the board about what they say happened to them inside his office.
The first woman told the board she went to see Moore in April 2022. She said during her exam, he touched her inappropriately. He also told her he would need to take pictures.
"He mentioned that if anyone ever sees these, they won't know that they're you, and I found that very perplexing. As I'm laying there, he puts the speculum in and I hear a click of a shutter. I immediately started to panic inside," Victim 1 said.
She testified that she was shocked and told the board she made a follow-up appointment, knowing she'd never come back again, and walked out of his office.
“I got to my car and I said out loud, 'What just happened?'” Victim 1 said.
Tears filled her eyes as she explained what happened in Moore's office. She said she immediately told her therapist and her husband. Later that summer, she filed a complaint with the attorney general's office and with Indiana State Police.
The lawsuit claims each act as a separate instance of malpractice.
The Indiana State Police is investigating claims against Moore.