RIVERHEAD, N.Y. (AP) — A jury convicted a former Latest York City police officer on Friday of second-degree murder within the death of his 8-year-old son, who was forced to sleep overnight on the concrete floor of a freezing garage.
Michael Valva was found guilty of 4 counts of kid endangerment and faces a maximum potential sentence of 25 years to life. Thomas Valva died in January 2020, the day after sleeping within the garage within the family’s Long Island home in temperatures that dropped under 20 degrees (minus 6 Celsius).
Friday’s verdict got here on the primary day of deliberations after a month’s value of testimony.
A medical expert ruled the boy’s death a homicide and located that hypothermia was a significant contributing factor. Prosecutors said Thomas and his 10-year-old brother were each on the autism spectrum and were at times forced to sleep within the garage.
In keeping with prosecutors, the boys spent 16 consecutive hours within the freezing garage leading as much as the 8-year-old’s death, Newsday reported. Prosecutors also alleged Michael Valva did nothing to assist him because the boy died in front of him after which lied to police and first responders.
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The kid endangerment counts stemmed from the beating and ravenous of each boys. Their teachers testified the boys got here to highschool with bruises and sometimes were so hungry they ate crumbs off the ground, in accordance with the newspaper.
“While there’s nothing that we will do to bring Thomas back, we’re satisfied with the jury’s decision,” Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney said in a press release. “Michael Valva subjected his sons to horrific abuse, neglect and cruelty. He’ll now pay for cutting short the lifetime of a young, innocent, defenseless boy who had a lifetime ahead of him.”
Valva’s then-fiancee, Angela Pollina, also faces child endangerment and second-degree murder counts and is awaiting trial. She has pleaded not guilty.
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