Driver of a day care facility abuses 88-year-old woman with dementia

A Medford man was charged last week with multiple sexual assaults on an 88-year-old Chelsea dementia patient whom he regularly drove to an elderly care facility, officials say.

Edwin Lam, 66, was charged with eight counts of sexual assault and battery on a disabled person over the age of 60 in Chelsea District Court on Aug. 19 and ordered held on $7,500 bail, according to a statement from the Suffolk County District Attorney's Office.

Lam, who drove for Joyful Living Center Adult Day Health in Charlestown, attacked the victim eight times between May 20 and July 11. The attacks were all captured on Ring security camera video, the office said.

A relative of the victim viewed the video footage after seeing the woman crying and contacted Chelsea police, who were able to secure the videos, authorities said.

Lam was ordered to stay away from the victim's home and surrender his passport, was also prohibited from seeking a ride and was forced to stay in Massachusetts and wear a GPS device, the statement said.

Lam will return to court on October 17 for a probation hearing.

District Attorney Kevin Hayden said obtaining the video surveillance will be important to the case.

“We live in an era of widespread commercial and residential video surveillance, which, when used wisely and appropriately, can be of great benefit to investigators,” Hayden said. “This is particularly fortunate because this is a case where the victim was unable to communicate what was happening to her.”