Elderly woman abandoned by her daughter in downtown Hamilton

A woman and has been arrested for abandoning her elderly mother in downtown Hamilton, police say.

On July 11, a local business owner found the 85-year-old woman disoriented and partially dehydrated in the King and John area.

“We believe she'd been left out there a number of hours,” said Det. Sgt. Bill Anderson.

Police were called and the woman was taken to hospital.

Through the investigation police found out the woman suffers from dementia, and was supposed to be in the care of her 62-year-old daughter and her 61-year-old partner.

The two left her in downtown Hamilton, but Anderson couldn't say if it was intentional.

“It's my understanding she's okay,” he said, adding that she's now in the care of the office of the public guardian and trustee.

A man and woman were arrested in Spanish River, Ont. on Sunday by the OPP on behalf of Hamilton police.

“This sort of thing isn't very common, but we take it very seriously,” Anderson said.

The victim's daughter and her partner have been charged with failing to provide the necessities of life.

Police say they are not releasing the names of the accused in order to protect the identity of the victim.