4-year-old boy, his family unhappy over $150 fine for playing outside L.I. condominium

WEST BABYLON, N.Y. —- (WPIX) -- Outdoor play is a necessary part of a child's life. But try telling that to Marie Dellafranca, vice president of South Shore Villas Condominium Association at West Babylon, Long Island.

On May 20, 2019, she sent a warning letter to condo owners Robert and Angelica Parker. Their 4-year-old son Liam loves riding his tricycle and scooter around the grassy triangle in front their unit.

The letter reads, “We understand that the weather has gotten nice out but unfortunately, there are rules and regulations in the By-laws….that it is not safe for kids to play on common area grounds. Please take this as a precaution measure so that we would not have to enforce the fine that is association with this. It is $150 per violation.”

The Parkers looked through 38 pages of the association's by-laws, but didn't see any prohibiting kids from playing outside. They asked Dellafranca to show it to them. She couldn't.

Dellafranca later said they received complaints from one condo owner about the children of three families playing outside in a “noisy fashion." The Parkers said the two other families told them they hadn't received a letter from the condo board.

“It makes us question why he's the only one, considering other children play outside here all the time," Robert Parker, who works in law enforcement, said. “He also happens to be the only Latino child. So that raises questions about the possible motive for something like that.”