Kelyn and Isaiah planned a photo shoot for their daughter’s first birthday on a bright and sunny Houston afternoon. They believed they’d found the ideal location: a beautiful walking track in the Broadacres neighborhood, which is popular with local families and photographers.
Kelyn and Isaiah placed their daughter on a pink, fluffy blanket next to a simple birthday balloon arrangement. However, during the photo shoot, a woman pulled over to the side of the road and approached the family, stating that the photo shoot was obstructing the entire sidewalk.
The parents took out their phones and began recording the moment the enraged woman smacked their balloons, tugged the pink blanket, and knocked Isaiah’s phone out of his hand. The infant girl wailed and sobbed in the crib.
Franci Neely, a Houston socialite, has been identified as the woman. She and other neighbors in the Broadacres community claim that there are too many photo shoots in their neighborhood, which cause property damage. Neighbors have put up notices prohibiting these “disruptive” picture sessions.
According to the city of Houston, however, the esplanade and adjoining roadways are public property.
Franci Neely released the following statement to ABC13:
“The Broadacres Homeowners Association Invests lots of money paying to maintain the trees, grass and walkways in our neighborhood. The high volume of commercial photography damages the property that Broadacres HOA pays to maintain and interferes with dog walkers and others who merely want to walk under the pretty trees. We asked the commercial photographers to please stop.
“I am very sorry that I got upset on late Saturday afternoon. Putting it in context, however: I saw three commercial photography shoots in one block at the same time, something that happens frequently. When I explained the situation to the first and third groups, they were respectful. The couple whose photo shoot obstructed the walkway was not. It’s hard to remain composed when confronted by shouted threats of lawsuits and false, inflammatory accusations.”
After this story went public, a very similar confrontation resurfaced. A Houston dad says his daughters and their friends were taking prom photos along the same walking trail. In footage he recorded on his cellphone, the same woman angrily confronted the group of teens.
Learn more in the video below.