Accused in court Sept. 11

The next court date for a mother and daughter from Acton accused of leaving a 97-year-old relative alone in a locked SUV on one of the hottest days of the summer is September 11. Bonnie Bouclair, 60, and Kimberly Bouclair, 36, did not appear in person in Milton court Friday, but were represented by Toronto lawyer Ken Byers. The Bouclairs are charged with failing to provide the necessities of life for Phyllis Arnott, who is Bonnie's mother and Kimberly's grandmother. Witnesses said Arnott was dehydrated and incoherent when she was found in a vehicle in the Burlington Wal-Mart parking lot July 15 at 4 p.m. The temperature in the 2003 black GMC Envoy rose to a stifling 50C (122F) by the time paramedics raced to the scene after a shopper called 911. A passerby at the plaza saw Arnott suffering in the back seat of the vehicle with the front windows rolled down about three inches. She was subsequently treated at Joseph Brant Hospital for severe dehydration. The Bouclairs had been caring for Arnott in their home for 16 years. They said they had been out for a drive and stopped at the plaza to go into the Wal-Mart to buy some Tylenol for Arnott's headache. The Bouclairs said they were in the store for no more than 30 minutes, however, a Halton Police spokesperson said it was almost an hour. Detective Sergeant Joe Barker of Halton Police said it's his understanding that Arnott is now back at home with the Bouclairs, but at press time no one was available from the Halton Crown attorney's office to confirm that. The Bouclairs' lawyer was unavailable for comment.