Hamilton police charge man with mother's death, say he attacked 'several' family members

Hamilton police have upgraded charges against a man who they say attacked "several" members of his family in May, leading to the death of his elderly mother.

On May 25, they say, the 59-year-old Hamilton man attacked his 86-year-old mom, who was hospitalized as a result. She was still in hospital on May 31 when police say her son attacked several other members of their family at their Hamilton Mountain home.

Police charged the man for alleged offences including aggravated assault. At the time, he was on release orders for other alleged offences against members of his family earlier that year, they said in a news release Thursday.

The 86-year-old woman died in June, police say, and this month, Hamilton police investigators received documentation linking her death to the alleged attack by her son. As a result, police say they upgraded the aggravated assault charge to manslaughter.

Police say they will not comment on the "nature of the assaults" or cause of death because the case is before the courts.