NYPD Officer Stumbled on Guilty of Killing Son, 8, with Autism After Making Him Sleep in Freezing Garage

The used NYPD officer accused of killing his 8-year-passe son was once convicted Friday on five expenses, together with 2d-stage abolish.

A Suffolk County, New York, jury unanimously came upon Michael Valva guilty after about seven hours of deliberation, The New York Instances reported, following the Jan. 2020 death of his son Thomas Valva, who was once on the autism spectrum and died of hypothermia after his father compelled him to sleep in a freezing garage on a 19 stage night.

Per the Instances, Michael, 43, was once also convicted on four counts of tiny one endangerment at some level of the conclusion of the six-week trial at Suffolk County Court in Riverhead, Prolonged Island. He’ll face 15 to 25 years to lifestyles in detention heart when he’s sentenced on Dec. 8, ABC 7 reported.

Valva’s attorney John LoTurco tells PEOPLE in a press unencumber: “We’re disappointed however realize the jury’s verdict. This case was once heartbreaking and tragic and was once a tsunami of feelings. The competing narratives between our defense that our consumer deeply beloved his son Thomas despite his obvious parental deficiencies, versus the prosecution’s portrayal that Michael Valva was once a highly abusive and depravedly indifferent father, created a dramatic backdrop to the seven-week trial.”

Though he notes that they “respect the juror’s decision,” LoTurco plans to file a motion to vacate the verdict on the 2d-stage abolish fee, citing insufficient evidence. He’ll also file an attraction.

Michael Valva and Angela Pollina.
AP/Shutterstock

The Suffolk County District Attorney’s Administrative heart failed to as we state respond to PEOPLE’s keep aside a query to for shriek.

“What took set up of residing in this court does now not change the not likely tragedy of this case,” talked about District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney, in line with ABC 7.

The outlet reported that LoTurco attempted to gain his consumer a lesser fee of criminal negligence and homicide, arguing that his then-fiancée, Angela Pollina, who was once also dwelling at the time of Thomas’ death, was once to blame. He claimed that Michael attempted to establish his son’s lifestyles.

“It was once clear from the total evidence, wide evidence, that she was once the dictator of self-discipline in that family, that she managed now not handiest Michael, however she also had a lover in that family that lived with her,” LoTurco talked about in court, in line with ABC 7.

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CBS New York reported that the defense attorney argued that testimony and texts between Michael and Pollina, Forty five, revealed that she despised Thomas and his 10-year-passe brother Anthony attributable to their autism and the design in which they suffered from incontinence.

It was once allegedly Pollina’s belief to banish the boys to their unheated garage when they had lavatory accidents, in line with CBS’ yarn of the court testimony. The Instances reported that the couple had compelled Thomas and Anthony to sleep within the garage extra than one times for months.

After one such accident, Michael texted Pollina, “Good ample, I will beat them up all over again. Talking create now not work. Per chance a bloody face will,” in line with CBS.

Additionally, CBS reported that surveillance photos from their dwelling confirmed Michael and Pollina hosing the boys off within the backyard on the morning of Thomas’ death. “He’s cool. Boo [expletive] hoo,” she will be able to be heard announcing after Thomas fell on his face.

Pollina was once also charged with 2d-stage abolish and tiny one endangerment, to which she pleaded now not guilty, in line with the Instances. Her trial will occur at a later date.

Thomas’ mother, Justyna Zubko-Valva, has also filed a $200 million civil suit against Michael, Pollina and diverse alternative local officers.