'Cool Parents' Get Busted for Throwing Teenage Keg Party

A Staten Island couple was arrested yesterday for hosting a Halloween party where they served booze to the teenagers in attendance. Diane and Mark Diefenthaler were not exactly discreet about it either--the teens were yelling and screaming on the lawn with Solo cups in their hands (which had cost them $5 a pop) when cops arrived after 1 in the morning early Saturday. When an officer asked Mr. Diefenthaler if the scene taking place was what appeared to be going on, he responded, "Yes this is my house. They are drinking beer. So what?" The cops then arrested the couple and rounded up the teenagers and took them down to the stationhouse where their parents had to come pick them up. The Diefenthalers are charged with unlawfully dealing with a child in the first degree and endangering the welfare of a child and could face up to year in prison if found guilty.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Billy Parker in News on November 2, 2008 11:28 AM

Comments [rss]

JMH

"So now I'm going to arrest you" apparently is "so what".

NannyState

I'm as libertarian as they come over this shit but the fact that the kids were out in the yard acting like idiots as well as the fact that the parents were charging for the beers leaves me little room for sympathy. Well done, NYPD.

beezbo

"If you're going to drink, I'd rather have you do it in the house." oh mean girls

r1b2

@nicemarmot "Giving your teenagers beer is one thing, letting them party on the lawn in the middle of the night is another."

These schmucks CHARGED OTHER PEOPLE'S KIDS!!! Throw away the key; they're a risk to themselves and to society at large.

jaycjay

"Too many people try to be buddies with their kids instead of being PARENTS."

When I go to a buddy's house and they offer me a beer, they never charge me for it.

These aren't "buddies" or "cool parents," those people give beer away for free! These are just entrepreneurial people who spotted a market and moved to serve it.

Steven

Parents trying to be like teens again. Linsday Lohan and Britney Spears mother should have been invited as well. They would make good roles models for the party.

ides_of_march

Too many people try to be buddies with their kids instead of being PARENTS.

Snoopy

That kid in the photo looks a bit short for a teenager. What happened did he stay back in the growth class? Also he shouldn't smoke. It will stunt his growth.