NYPD Cop Starved And Abused Autistic Son Before Letting Him Freeze To Death In Garage

A New York Police District (NYPD) cop and his fiancée were charged Friday with second-degree murder following the death of an 8-year-old autistic boy. The boy, who was the son of 15-year police veteran Michael Valva, died after being subjected to freezing temperatures outside their home on Jan. 17.

Michael and his fiancée, Angela Pollina, reportedly left the boy, Thomas Valva, in the unheated garage of their Center Moriches, Long Island home overnight preceding his death when the temperature in the area was recorded at 19 degrees. The following morning, Michael called for help after his son allegedly collapsed in their driveway. However, an investigation into the boy’s death revealed inconsistencies with the father’s account.

According to Suffolk County Police Commissioner Geraldine Hart, Michael and Pollina were charged with murder because “they engaged in conduct which created a grave risk of death to the child.” Hart revealed that Thomas died of hypothermia after being kept in their garage overnight by his father and his fiancée.

In the morning of Jan. 17, the cops arrived at the scene and found Michael performing a CPR on his son. Michael reportedly told the cops that his son had lost his consciousness while waiting for their school bus an hour earlier. The medics immediately rushed Thomas to Long Island Community Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. His body temperature was only 76 degrees.

Following Thomas’ death, Hart revealed that the timing and nature of the child’s injuries as reported by Michael were inconsistent with what they had found out during the investigation. Thomas reportedly suffered severe head and facial injuries—enough for the medical examiner to rule his death a homicide with a major contributing factor of hypothermia.

Investigators believe that on the night of Jan. 16, Michael Valva and his partner subjected the victim and his 10-year-old brother to punishment including food deprivation and exposure to extremely frigid temperatures. “We are still investigating the extent of the abuse and if it extended to all of the children,” said Hart. Currently, Thomas’ brothers and Pollina’s three daughters are in the custody of Child Protective Services.