The cesspool scion socialite charged with fatally shoving NYC grandmother

The young socialite charged with manslaughter for shoving an 87-year-old grandmother on a Manhattan sidewalk is the daughter of a Long Island cesspool mogul, and enjoyed living the high life at swanky parties before she landed behind bars.

Lauren Pazienza, 26, was arraigned on manslaughter charges Tuesday in the death of 87-year-old Barbara Gustern, the beloved Broadway vocal coach she is accused of fatally shoving on March 10. 

Prosecutors say Pazienza, who grew up in affluent parts of Long Island, approached Gustern at random, called her a ‘b***h’, pushed her and then fled.  She is then said to have watched as an ambulance crew took the frail older woman away with blood seeping from her head. 

Pazienza is currently jailed on Rikers Island as her parents pull together funds to meet her $500,000 cash bond obligation – but the former high-end events coordinator is ‘hanging tough’ behind bars, her attorney told the New York Daily News. 

Though Pazienza she appears to have lived a life of privilege, and later glamour in New York City’s high society, neighbors told the New York Post that she was sharp-tempered and confrontational, and an elementary classmate has claimed she bullied fellow students.

Pazienza grew up in historic Setauket, Long Island, where she attended Ward Melville High School with her future fiancé, Microsoft customer support specialist Naveen Pereira.

A former classmate of Pazienza’s told Fox News that when he moved in down the street from her in second grade, she began bullying him. 

Pazienza is currently jailed on Rikers Island — but grew up in an affluent family on Long Island and enjoyed Manhattan’s high society. She is seen above in photos from her teenage years

Pazienza, seen on family vacation as a teenager, appears to have lived a life of privilege, and later glamour in New York City’s high society

Pazienza is seen attending a Manhattan rooftop party left as a teenager and the 40th-anniversary party for New York society magazine Avenue in 2015 right

The classmate said that Pazienza always had a ‘crazy look in her eyes’ and would kick him and call him and other kids names. 

Her father Daniel owns a prosperous third-generation cesspool draining company, and claims on the company website that it was voted No. 1 in both price and service in Suffolk County for several years running.

Lauren Pazienza, 26, was arraigned on manslaughter charges yesterday for the death of Barbara Gustern, a vocal coach she is accused of pushing over on March 10

In addition to pumping services, the company provides cesspool installations, grease trap installations, septic tank installations, storm drains and catch basin installations.

‘At Dan Pazienza Cesspool Service we pride ourselves on being Suffolk County’s most advanced cesspool service. We have been serving Suffolk County for over 3 generations,’ the website boasts. 

Paziensa’s parents Daniel and Caroline, who have been married for 28 years, enjoyed a life of prosperity, taking vacations to Aruba, France, and the Florida Keys over the years, photos on Facebook show.

The family later moved to Port Jefferson, where Paziena allegedly fled to hide in her parents’ home after Gustern’s death.

After graduating high school in 2013, Paziena earned a bachelors degree from the Fashion Institute of Technology.

Photos show her enjoying glamorous parties in Manhattan in recent years, including the 40th-anniversary party for New York society magazine Avenue in 2015.

After graduating high school in 2013, Paziena (above) earned a bachelors degree from the Fashion Institute of Technology

Lauren Pazienza’s parent Daniel and Caroline leave Manhattan Criminal court after their daughter was arraigned for allegedly pushing Barbara Gustern and killing her in an unprovoked attack

Pazienza’s father Daniel owns a prosperous third-generation cesspool draining company (above), and claims on the company website that it was voted No. 1 in both price and service in Suffolk County for several years running

Prosecutors say that on Monday, NYPD detectives visited the parents’ Long Island home (above) after receiving a tip that Pazienza was hiding out there, but that her father claimed that she was not at home and did not consent to a search

Pazienza and her fiance live in a one bedroom apartment in Astoria, Queens, which his family owns. Their doorman building is pictured 

Pazienza had recently been living in an Astoria condo with her fiancé, who purchased the unit in 2019 with his father.

Neighbors told the Post that they were not entirely surprised to learn of the charges against Pazienza, saying that she was known to have a short fuse and was frequently confrontational.

‘There’s always some type of issue, some type of complaint. You’ll always know it’s her. It’s ridiculous,’ one said.

One neighbor said Pazienza argued with the building management about issues like parking tickets, but that it never got…