Woman arrested over death of 82-year-old mother after taking her from care facility

A 55-year-old woman has been arrested on suspicion of attempting to murder her 82-year-old mother after taking her out of a nursing care facility in Shibukawa City, Gunma Prefecture, last month.  

According to police, Hiroyo Tabei is accused of taking her mother, Toshiko, on June 19 by car to a riverbank in Maebashi City and causing her to suffer respiratory distress by an unknown method, TV Asahi reported.  

On the day of the incident, Tabei's younger sister called 110 and said: "My older sister contacted me saying she was taking our mother to the area under Takebashi Bridge, and I would like you to check on them."

When police officers arrived at the scene, they found both Tabei and Toshiko collapsed and unconscious. Both were taken to a hospital, but Toshiko later died. Police have not said why Tabei had been hospitalized.

Police arrested Tabei on Friday after she was discharged from hospital and are questioning her on what happened on the riverbank.