A former New York Police Division officer was convicted of second-degree homicide after his 8-year-old son died in 2020.
Michael Valva was discovered responsible of homicide and baby endangerment on Friday after his son Thomas died of hypothermia in January 2020.
Prosecutors in Lengthy Island accused Valva of forcing Thomas and his 10-year-old brother Anthony to sleep in an unheated storage for 16 hours within the wintertime with out blankets. Thomas and Anthony had been each on the autism spectrum.
When he awakened, Valva hosed his son down within the storage with a backyard hose. The temperature dropped beneath 20 levels the morning of Thomas’s loss of life.
It took Valva over an hour till he referred to as 911. When first responders arrived, they discovered the ex-police officer calm and impassive.
‘There was no crying,’ paramedic Eric Lambert testified in courtroom. ‘Most mother and father panic and freak out in a state of affairs like that.’
Valva allegedly advised first responders his son had fallen on his face whereas ready for the varsity bus.
Thomas was taken to Lengthy Island Group Hospital. By the point he arrived, the boy’s physique temperature was 76.1 levels Fahrenheit.
Valva and Pollina each pleaded not responsible to the fees. His ex-fiancé is being tried individually.
Prosecutors additionally confirmed the courtroom that Thomas and his brother Anthony suffered a historical past of abuse from Valva and his then-fiancé, Angela Pollina.
‘I'll beat them till they bleed. It's the solely factor that works,’ Valva as soon as texted Pollina.
A plumber took the stand to testify that he noticed Pollina push one of many boys down two flights of stairs whereas he was doing repairs in July 2019. He additionally mentioned Valva noticed the incident and mentioned nothing.
Faculty officers additionally testified that they noticed the youngsters come to lessons sporting ravenous and sporting dirty clothes.
‘He was at all times hungry,’ Thomas’s second grade instructor Michelle Cagliano advised the courtroom.
Valva’s trial lasted for six weeks. Jurors returned a verdict on Friday, November 4 after simply sooner or later of deliberations.
‘This responsible verdict is not going to deliver again 8-year-old Thomas, who suffered immense cruelty by the hands of his father, the identical one that was entrusted to guard, present and unconditionally love Thomas and his older brother Anthony,’ Suffolk County District Legal professional Ray Tierney said.
‘Michael Valva subjected his sons to horrific abuse, neglect and cruelty. He'll now pay for slicing brief the lifetime of a younger, harmless, defenseless boy who had a lifetime forward of him,’ Tierney mentioned.
Valva faces a compulsory sentence of life in jail. His sentencing listening to is scheduled for December 8.
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