Ottawa Police are asking the public's help in finding an 82-year-old woman who disappeared Sunday while walking her dog.
Neighbours say Nelliya Karbisheva walks her poodle often near her Stittsville home, but she has gone missing before.
Police say she left her home with the dog around noon Sunday and ended up at the Queensway Carleton hospital at around 10:30 p.m. the same day.
Staff Sgt. Glenn Wasson tells CTV Ottawa they believe she walked the 12 kilometre distance herself.
"Often times people set out and from what I understand she's an avid walker," he says. "It is far, absolutely, but it's not unreasonable to think she may have travelled that far by foot."
Sgt. Wasson says Karbisheva suffers from dementia and there are concerns for her safety.
"As I understand it, she does have a jacket on. She is an avid walker so I believe she is physically fit under normal circumstances," she says. "However after 24 hours, and it wasn't a particularly warm night . . . our concerns would heighten."
Karbisheva is described as white, 5'2" with short, salt and pepper hair. She was last wearing brown shorts, a pink hat and a blue jacket. Sgt. Wasson says she may have difficulty speaking and understanding English. She may have headed toward Baseline from the hospital.
Police ask anyone with information to contact them.