No, sleeping on a refrigerator in your Louisiana backyard is not illegal under state law or specific ordinances targeting that act.
Origins of the Rumor
This notion circulates as an urban legend or “dumb law” myth, often vaguely attributed to unnamed states, but reliable sources link it primarily to Pennsylvania, stemming from mid-20th-century concerns over children trapped in abandoned refrigerators. Lists sometimes vaguely tie it to Louisiana locales like Lafayette, yet no verified statute exists there or statewide.
Relevant Louisiana Laws
Louisiana prohibits abandoning refrigerators or airtight appliances in places accessible to children without removing doors or latches (RS 14:324), aiming to prevent suffocation. Local ordinances in places like Lake Charles or Assumption Parish ban outdoor storage of junk appliances as nuisances, but none mention sleeping atop them.
Practical Considerations
Your private backyard generally allows personal use without state interference, barring neighbor complaints leading to nuisance citations. However, storing an old refrigerator outdoors could violate junk laws, prompting fines up to $500 locally.
SOURCES
[1](https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/113uc4/in_my_state_it_is_illegal_to_sleep_on_top_of_a/)
[2](https://forestgrove.pgusd.org/documents/Computer-Lab/Strange-State-Laws.pdf)
[3](https://villageofharrisonburg.com/20231113-001/)
[4](https://gracelegalgroup.com/criminal-laws/penal-code/402b/)
[5](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bKQZ5yDYFso)
