A Long Island NYPD officer and his fiancée are charged with murder after his eight-year-old son with autism froze to death in their garage.
According to the Daily Mail, Michael Valva, 40, and Angela Pollina, 42, were charged with second-degree murder for the death of eight-year-old Thomas Valva in Suffolk County on Friday . Investigators reported that Valva allegedly abused Thomas and forced him to spend the night in a garage on January 17. The recorded temperature at the time was 19 degrees and Valva tried to increase the boy’s body temperature by placing him in a warm bath before his death.
RELATED STORIES: Former NYPD Sergeant Admits That She Ran Drugs With Tekashi 69
Suffolk County Police Commissioner Geraldine Hart said in a statement that the boy’s death was ruled as a homicide:
“The medical examiner has ruled it a homicide with a major contributing factor of hypothermia. We believe certainly that Thomas was kept in the garage overnight preceding his death,’
Thomas was rushed to the Long Island Community Hospital after dispatchers responded to a call around 9:30 am about the boy falling in the driveway and lost consciousness. However, the bruises on his face showed signs of abuse.
RELATED STORIES: NYPD Cop Arrested For Punching Aunt During Thanksgiving Brawl
Investigators noted that Valva might have starved Thomas and his 10-year-old brother as a form of punishment along with exposing them to frigid temperatures. Pollin is the mother of two girls aged 6 and 11.
Press play to learn more in the video below.