NEW YORK (1010 WINS) — A Suffolk County jury found former NYPD Officer Michael Valva guilty of murdering his eight-year-old son on Friday.
Valva locked his son Thomas, who had autism, in the freezing garage of his Center Moriches home overnight in January 2020 as temperatures dipped to 19 degrees.
Thomas died of hypothermia. His father lied to the police, paramedics and doctors after the boy lost consciousness the next morning and was hospitalized.
Valva was also found guilty of child endangerment for his treatment of both Thomas and his 10-year-old brother Anthony.
The two boys suffered years of abuse at the hands of Valva and his then-fiancé Angela Pollina. “I will beat them until they bleed,” the police officer texted Pollina, according to court documents. "It is the only thing that works.”
The couple starved the children, denied them access to the bathroom and forced them to sleep on dog pee pads or in the garage.
“Today the jury has spoken on the tragic murder of Thomas Valva by his father, the defendant Michael Valva," said Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond Tierney. "This guilty verdict will not bring back 8-year-old Thomas, who suffered immense cruelty at the hands of his father, the same person who was entrusted to protect, provide and unconditionally love Thomas and his older brother Anthony. This case is heartbreaking, and it has been one of the toughest child abuse trials for our prosecutors, court personnel and jurors."
Pollina was also charged for the abuse of the children and Thomas' death. Her case is still pending.
Valva faces 25 years to life in prison when sentenced.
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