A Texas socialite is making circles in the news after confronting a local family conducting a photoshoot for their 1-year-old’s birthday because they dared to use a public sidewalk.
According to Inside Edition, Kelyn and Isaiah Allen decided to celebrate their daughter Anja’s first birthday with a photoshoot at a well-known, scenic sidewalk in Houston. Things were going well until Franci Neely, the ex-wife of Houston Astros’ owner Jim Crane, confronted them, as part of the walkway was blocked with props for the baby’s photos, including a blanket and some balloons.
Video shows the Allen’s daughter crying as a woman off-camera, presumably Kelyn Allen, says “You’re making my child cry! Keep doing it!”
Neely also lashes out at Isaiah Allen who recorded the incident, striking either him or his camera several times, the footage jostling as she did so.
“I’m still shocked, I’m still shaking,” he said according to the report.
Footage taken by the couple also shows Neely dragging the child’s props onto the grass before walking across the grass herself back to her vehicle.
“I was very angry and I felt extremely disrespected,” Kelyn Allen said.
According to the report, the local homeowners association has been trying to stop people from taking photoshoots along the scenic route, however, the City of Houston has acknowledged that the sidewalk is indeed public property.
As for Neely, as soon as Photobomb Franci became famous in a way she did not like, she issued a sort-of apology, in the same breath accusing the couple of being rude.
Her statement reads:
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.
