Fury at ‘insane’ NYC cops who fined mother for letting her four-year-old son pee in park while bathroom was closed – as criminals run rampant

A New York City mother is furious after she was hit with a $50 slap for letting her four-year-old son pee in the park after the restrooms closed – despite criminals being allowed to roam free in the Big Apple.

Michicko Sasaki, 46, and her son Kobe were enjoying a beautiful spring day last Saturday at Battery Playscape in Battery Park City, Lower Manhattan, when the youngster had to go to the bathroom.

The park bathroom was closed and a paper sign was taped to the door that read, “No bathroom!” No bathroom!’

Sasaki, who described the ordeal as “an emergency,” said The New York Post: ‘My son said: ‘I really have to go, I’m going to pee my pants.’

The mother tried to be as discreet as possible as she pulled down her son’s pants so he could relieve himself, but seconds later she was approached by a group of park officers and told that this was “illegal and not okay to do.” to use the bathroom’. outside.’

She said she was “stunned and very confused” when five or six officers walked up to her. She said they were “chasing her” and recalled one of them speaking to her in an aggressive manner.

Urinating in public is a civil offense and not a criminal offense, according to the Criminal Justice Reform Act passed in 2017, but is punishable by fines of up to $450.

Sasaki’s 4-year-old son, Kobe, has anxiety and sensory processing disorder, his mother explained, which is why he waited until the last minute to tell her he had to pee.

Sasaki, an actress and professional dancer who lives in the Washington Heights area, explained that her son haanxiety problems and sensory processing disorder.

She said this was why he probably waited until the last minute to tell her he had to pee.

When DailyMail.com contacted the New York City Parks Department and sent them a photo of the bathroom door with the signage, they said, “Public urination in parks is prohibited and we ask everyone to use the facilities provided.”

“The public restroom at Battery Park Playscape was open and operational on Saturday,” said NYC Parks press officer Kelsey Jean-Baptiste.

“In addition, there are two other public toilets within the park that are available for use.”

“We want every New Yorker to enjoy and feel comfortable in our parks. “That’s why NYC Parks maintains more than 1,600 public restrooms across the five boroughs for the benefit of the public and the health of our city,” she said. .

The park spokesperson said the public restrooms are located across from the Playscape, at the back of the concession building, and on the other side of the park at Battery Place, in the northwest corner.

But according to the mother, the two other restrooms mentioned by the parks department did not appear to be located where Saskai’s young son was playing.

She told the Post that park officers never told her that Battery Park Playscape had other restrooms she could have gone to, but instead pointed to The View restaurant, located in Battery Park, as a possible alternative.

She described them as “extremely rude.”

“They were very brash and smaller. Phrases like, “How do you stop your child from going to the bathroom beforehand,” Sasaki told the Post.

“He said to me, ‘Your child is old enough to hold it,'” she said, describing the whole ordeal as “absolutely crazy.”

NYS Parks Department told DailyMail.com that Battery Park Playscape (pictured) has three public restrooms and that ‘public urination in parks is prohibited’

Another view of the park in Battery Park

Along with the fine, she was issued a summons with a hearing on July 2.

The summons read: “I observed the defendant allowing her child to urinate on the grounds of the park, next to the public restroom,” according to The Post.

Sasaki told the press: “This is not just a problem with Battery Park. As parents, we struggle with public restrooms every day,” and we intend to combat this.

“Of course it’s $50, which isn’t much, but it’s the principle. “I’m not saying we should all go outside and pee on the sidewalk, that’s not okay for adults,” she told the news station. “However, it was about a child in an emergency situation.”

DailyMail.com contacted the mother for further comment.