A police car in New York (unsplash photo)
The stepmother of an 8-year-old boy who froze to death on New York’s Long Island in January 2020 was found guilty of murder on Friday.
Angela Pollina, 45, was found guilty for her role in the death of Thomas Valva, who died a day after sleeping in the home’s garage, where the temperature dropped below minus 6 degrees.
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Polina’s conviction comes four months after her son’s father and ex-fiancé Michael Valva, a police officer with the New York Police Department, was also found guilty of murder and sentenced to 25 years in prison.
Thomas and his older brother, Anthony, spent 16 hours in the home’s garage without heat as punishment for defecating in the middle of the house, NBC reported. During the trial, Polina admitted that she did not allow the children to use the toilet or shower at home.
A medical examiner determined that the child’s death was caused by hypothermia. Prosecutors said Thomas and his 10-year-old brother were both on the autism spectrum and sometimes had to sleep in the garage.
“The cruelty that Thomas and his brothers were forced to endure because of the defendant’s blatant and selfish behavior is abhorrent, and fortunately, the jury clearly agreed,” Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond Tierney said in a statement following the verdict. “Her treatment of these children was nothing less than pure evil.”
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