WOODLAND HILLS : Woman, 79, Found Safe in Parked Car After 2 Days

A disabled 79-year-old woman, whose husband left her in the car and then forgot where he parked, was found safe Monday after spending at least two days waiting for her husband, who suffers from Alzheimer’s disease, Los Angeles police said.

Iris Larzabal, who recently underwent hip surgery and is unable to walk, was hospitalized for dehydration after police, responding to a neighbor’s call, found the car parked about two blocks from the Promenade and Topanga Plaza shopping malls.

In all, she spent more than three days in the car, police said.

The couple’s ordeal began Thursday evening when Jose and Iris Larzabal drove from their North Hollywood home to eat dinner at a restaurant near the Victory and Topanga Canyon boulevards, Valadez said.

On the way home, their car ran out of gas near Erwin Street and Canoga Avenue--about three blocks from where they ate, police said. Rather than risk getting lost in the dark, the couple decided to spend the night in their car, a 1980 Toyota Corolla, Valadez said.

Jose Larzabal, 88, told police that on Friday morning, he ventured out to look for gas and to return with medication for his wife, but became disoriented and got lost, investigators said.