WBRZ - Baton Rouge

WEST NEW YORK, N.J. - A northern New Jersey woman charged with elderly neglect after authorities found her mother-in-law living in the basement with the door barricaded says police have the story wrong.

Piedad Linden tells WABC-TV in New York that she was wrongfully arrested after police came to their West New York home and found her mother-in-law in the basement behind a door that was blocked from the outside with a shovel.

West New York Police Capt. Michael Zitt says police had responded to the home after a neighbor complained it was overrun with cats.

Officers say they found 89-year-old Delphine Linden in the basement and she appeared disoriented and couldn't answer basic questions, such as her name and the date.

Piedad Linden says she blocked the door to prevent it from blowing in the wind.