Parents accused of booze at teen party

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Annadale couple is charged after cops find intoxicated kids on their front lawn

Sunday, November 02, 2008
By Doug Auer

Staten Island Advance N.Y.

An Annadale couple was busted in the waning hours of Halloween for allegedly hosting a house party with underage kids boozing on the front lawn. Each kid reportedly paid five bucks to get in.

Diane, 43, and Mark, 51, Diefenthaler were arrested yesterday at 1:57 a.m. after police officers from the South Shore's 123rd Precinct spotted the adolescent partygoers stumbling about in front of their one-story brick home at 555 Arden Ave., court papers state.

One officer observed "a number of young people with cups of beer in their hands and drinking, yelling and screaming," the documents read.

The officer detained at least eight of the guests -- some in costume -- and discovered they were younger than 17, authorities said.

The juveniles told the officer "that they had to pay five dollars to get into the party and that the [Diefenthalers] were serving them beer," according to court papers.

The kids were drinking out of red cups, with the alcohol having been poured out of beer cans stashed in a cooler stuffed with ice, said one law enforcement source.

"Both parents were home and they absolutely knew about the party and facilitated its continuance," the source added. "The bottom line is the parents supplied the beer."

The Diefenthalers have children in their late teens and early 20s.

When the officer confronted Diefenthaler about the situation, he replied, "Yes this is my house. They are drinking beer. So what?"

The Diefenthalers are charged with unlawfully dealing with a child in the first degree and endangering the welfare of a child.

Both charges are Class A misdemeanors, which carry a maximum penalty of a year in jail if found guilty.

Diefenthaler and his wife spent the night in a holding cell in the 123rd Precinct stationhouse in Tottenville.

They were scheduled to go before Judge Desmond Green yesterday in Stapleton Criminal Court, but weren't transferred in time. They are being held in the North Shore's 120th Precinct stationhouse in St. George and are expected to be arraigned today.

Although some juveniles had intentions of sleeping over, police officers grabbed everyone they could and brought them to the stationhouse where their parents were called and told to come collect them, police said.

"Some of these parents were extremely upset about the circumstances," said one police official.

Yesterday, neighbors admitted to knowing about the Diefenthalers' party but declined to comment on the police activity. Nobody answered at the couple's home.

Doug Auer covers police and fire news for the Advance. He may be reached at
auer@siadvance.com.

Parents accused of booze at teen party - SILive.com

My two cents-

This home is FOUR MINUTES from where my children are being help captive behind a brick judicial wall .. by their father and his politically connected henchmen/women.

Knowing that my baby runs wild because he was recently arrested this (the news paper) is how I have to find out what happens to my children..

I pray those bastard gets theirs.. what's that they say.. you reap what you sow.

From Rand McNally Directions..

TO:

555 Arden Ave Staten Island, NY 10312-3023

EST. DRIVE TIME: 4 minutes
EST. DISTANCE: 0.8 miles