A New York City mom is furious after she was slapped with a $50 fine for allowing her four-year-old son to pee in the park after the bathrooms were closed - despite criminals being allowed to run wild in the Big Apple. 

Michicko Sasaki, 46, and her son, Kobe, were enjoying a beautiful spring day at Battery Playscape in Battery Park City, Lower Manhattan, last Saturday when the youngster had to go to the restroom. 

The park bathroom was closed, and had a paper sign taped to the door that read: 'No Bathroom! No Bathroom!'

Sasaki, who described the ordeal as 'an emergency,' told The New York Post: 'My son was like 'I really need to go – I'm going to pee my pants.'

The mom tried to be as discreet as possible, as she pulled down her son's pants so he could relieve himself, but seconds later, she was approached by a group of park officers and was told that was 'illegal and not okay to use the bathroom outside.'

She said she was 'bewildered and very confused' as five or six officers walked towards her. She said they 'hounded' her, and recalled one of them speaking to her in an aggressive manner.

Urinating in a public is a civil offense, and not a criminal one, according to the Criminal Justice Reform Act that was passed in 2017, but is punishable with fines of up to $450

Sasaki, an actress and professional dancer, who lives in the Washington Heights area, explained that her son has anxiety issues and a sensory processing disorder.

She said that was likely the reason why he waited until the last minute to tell her he had to go wee wee.

When DailyMail.com reached out to The New York City Parks Department, and sent them a photo of the bathroom door with the signage, they said, 'public urination in parks is prohibited, and we ask everyone to use the designated facilities provided.'

'The public restroom at the Battery Park Playscape was open and operational on Saturday,' NYC Parks Press Officer Kelsey Jean-Baptiste said.

She said there are three different bathrooms in total inside Battery Park.