METAIRIE, La. — For Shelly Roberts and her husband, Lafreniere Park is their happy place.
“It gets us out of the apartment, and its just gorgeous,” Roberts said.
The park got them in the Christmas spirit when they came to New Orleans for Shelly’s medical treatment.
“I didn’t expect so many lights. It was beautiful. I was away from home and I love Christmas lights and it cheered me up,” Roberts said.
Some of the lights that brought them joy were destroyed just days later. Before Christmas, Pavilion Island was full of children playing, laughing, and enjoying the holidays. By the early hours of Dec. 26, things had changed.
On Dec. 26, officers responded to a call about a fire at Lafreniere Park. When they got to the park, multiple displays were burning.
Thankfully, the Christmas lights were off, eliminating the possibility of an electrical fire.
“Our investigators and fire investigators, it’s clear that arson was involved,” Jefferson Parish Sheriff Joe Lopinto said.
The estimated cost of damage is over $100,000.
JPSO doesn’t have a suspect yet, but they think the fires may have been started by a young person.
“In all likelihood, it was a kid being a kid, being a bad kid with nothing better to do, that thought I’ll light Christmas lights on fire,” Lopinto said.
A young person who should have been enjoying the Christmas lights.
“It’s such a lovely part of what we do here,” said Lafreniere Park Director Tripp Rablais. “Someone described to me as when you get to see people’s eyes and the kids eye, that’s what its all about.”
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