Grand Jury Findings: Child’s Death Sparks Call for CPS Reform

(AP)

A six-month special grand jury investigation into the conduct of Suffolk County Child Protective Services in New York, prompted by the January 2020 death of 8-year-old Thomas Valva, has concluded.

Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney will release the report on Thursday, which is expected to highlight room for improvement within the CPS system and reignite calls for reform.

The investigation stemmed from the demise of Thomas, who died of hypothermia after being forced to sleep in a freezing garage by his stepmother, Angela Pollina, and his father, Michael Valva. The jury found Pollina guilty of murder in the second degree and endangering the welfare of a child. Michael Valva was convicted of the same charges in November 2022.

Disturbing details emerged during the trial, revealing months of neglect and abuse endured by Thomas and his brother, Anthony. Text messages between Pollina and Valva exposed their insistence on the boys sleeping in the unheated garage, devoid of basic amenities.

Surveillance footage captured Pollina’s indifference to Thomas’s suffering, as she watched him being hosed down with cold water despite his hypothermic state. Witnesses testified to the boys’ deteriorating condition, with school employees reporting signs of malnutrition and neglect.

Pollina’s defense attempted to deflect blame onto Michael Valva, but her admission of deleting surveillance footage undermined her credibility. On March 10, 2023, she was convicted and was got a 25-year-to-life sentence.

The grand jury’s findings may underscore the need for reform within Suffolk County CPS to prevent similar tragedies.

“I recently unveiled the CPS Transformation Act to help reform a broken system that failed to protect Thomas Valva,” said then-Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone, Patch.com reported.

Bellone, at the time, announced the results of an internal review of the Department of Social Services’ procedures and procedures sparked by Thomas’ death and said the system did not protect autistic children. He outlined reforms to prevent future tragedy.

DA Tierney announced a press conference to address the report’s recommendations and advocate for improvements in child welfare. The event is scheduled for Thursday at 11:00 a.m. at the H Lee Dennison Building in Hauppauge, New York.