RIVERHEAD, N.Y. (1010 WINS/WCBS 880) -- Michael Valva, the former NYPD officer convicted of murder in the death of his 8-year-old son with autism, was given the maximum sentence of 25 years to life in prison by a Suffolk County judge on Thursday.
Supreme Court Justice William Condon handed down the sentence to Valva, 43, in a packed Riverhead courtroom just before noon.
Valva, of Center Moriches, was found guilty in November of second-degree murder and four counts of child endangerment after beating, starving and not letting his young son, Thomas Valva, use the bathroom before he froze to death nearly three years ago.
Valva said he was “truly sorry” as he fought back tears while addressing the court before his sentencing. “I am regretful, ashamed, heartbroken and grief-stricken standing here before you, having contributed to the death of my son.”
“Never in my worst nightmare would I have imagined being responsible for Thomas’ death,” he said. “I did not want my son to die. I lost my way and convinced myself that punishments were temporary and would eventually get us back to normal. I was so wrong, and it cost Thomas his life.”
Condon said he believed Valva was sincere in his remorse, but he said there was “no getting around” that Thomas and his brother “lived their lives in constant duress in the place they should have felt safest, their own home.”
“An 8-year-old boy who right now should be getting excited for Christmas is dead,” he said before announcing the sentence. “I speak for everybody out there—we can never let this happen again.”
Thomas Valva died Jan. 17, 2020, after spending the night sleeping in the garage of the family’s large home in temperatures that dropped below 20 degrees. The boy's body was 76.1 degrees shortly before he was pronounced dead at a hospital, according to Newsday.
A medical examiner ruled the boy’s death a homicide and found that hypothermia was a major contributing factor. Prosecutors said Thomas and his 10-year-old brother were both on the autism spectrum and were at times forced to sleep in the garage.
According to prosecutors, the boys spent 16 consecutive hours in the freezing garage leading up to the 8-year-old’s death. Prosecutors also alleged Michael Valva did nothing to help him as the boy died in front of him and then lied to police and first responders.
The child endangerment counts stemmed from the beating and starving of both boys. Their teachers testified the boys came to school with bruises and often were so hungry they ate crumbs off the floor.
Valva’s defense attorneys had urged the judge to impose a sentence closer to the minimum, saying the boy’s death was a tragic accident and that their client had expressed remorse and attempted to save his son’s life.
Valva’s then-fiancee, Angela Pollina, also faces child endangerment and second-degree murder counts and is awaiting trial. She has pleaded not guilty.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Related
Related
Related
