________________ LONG BEACH _______________
HERALD August 11, 2022
Also serving Point Lookout & East Atlantic Beach
FDNY hero honored at beach
Dems debate for 4th C.D. seat
Your Health
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Inside
Vol. 33 No. 33
your HEALTH body / mind / fitness
With a focus on
we lln es s
Family Wellness
AUGUST 11 - 17, 2022
$1.00
A future officer, and a performer Multitalented 23-year-old dances, sings, and learns law enforcement By BRENDAN CARpENTER bcarpenter@liherald.com
Bob Arkow/Herald
loNG BEACH SpECIAl Officer Kristen Murphy sang the national anthem at the city’s National Night Out last week.
Kristen Murphy, an energetic 23-year-old, has worn the dark blue uniform of a Long Beach police special officer for just over a year. In other venues, you might see her as a dancer, a singer, or even a stunt performer on “Saturday Night Live.” Police specials usually want to become police officers. So does Murphy want the silver badge or the silver screen?
“Why can’t I have both?” she asked recently. As a special officer, Murphy, who lives in Bellmore, handles administrative work and doubles as Police Commissioner Ron Walsh’s secretary, preparing paperwork and calendars for him. “Murph,” as she’s known in the department, also supervises the “summer specials,” college students majoring in criminal justice, or related fields, who are interested in working Continued on page 9
LaPennas to file wrongful death lawsuit against TOH By JAMES BERNSTEIN jbernstein@liherald.com
The Long Beach family of Lazar LaPenna, the 10- year-old Little Leaguer who collapsed and died in April at Point Lookout Park after reportedly suffering a seizure on the field, has filed a notice of claim against the Town of Hempstead and other jurisdictions. That claim — generally filed against a municipality ahead of a lawsuit — alleges that required lifesaving equipment was not available when Lazar died. Evan Richards, a Bellmore attorney, said on Monday that the LaPenna family is seeking $10 million in damages from the town, Nassau County, the
Point Lookout-Lido Fire Department, the City of Long Beach and the hamlet of Point Lookout. “We’re seeking monetary damages for a wrongful death,” Richards said. “They were required to have a defibrillator on hand, and they did not have one.” An automated external defibrillator, or AED, Richards said, is required at sites such as Little League fields by state law. The suit is expected to be filed on behalf of Lazar’s father, Gregg LaPenna, a restaurant and spor ts taver n owner in Long Beach. The notice of claim was filed on July 27, Richards added, and the lawsuit is expected to be filed in Nassau County
N
o amount of money can return Lazar to his family.
EVAN RICHARDS attorney LaPenna family
Supreme Court in Mineola. Town of Hempstead spokesman Greg Blower told the Herald that town officials do not comment on ongoing litigation. Long Beach City officials said they also would not comment on pending litigation. Representatives of the county, the fire department and Point
Lookout could not immediately be reached for comment. Lazar had been diagnosed with epilepsy as a child, but the disorder never stopped him from playing the g ame he loved. He was playing April 29 when, after knocking a single into the outfield, he collapsed as he rounded first base. His older brother, Jerry, was coaching at first base, cheering Lazar on, when he collapsed. Richards said that the sei-
zure caused Lazar’s heart to stop, but the absence of an AED, or something similar, led to the boy’s death. “No amount of money can retur n Lazar to his family,” Richards said in a statement, “but the LaPenna family is entitled to justice for the wrongful death of their son. Gregg also wants to make sure that every baseball field and other types of stadiums and Continued on page 10