The 8-year-old died of hypothermia in 2020 after being forced by his father and his fiancé to sleep in the garage in freezing temperatures.
HAUPPAUGE, N.Y. -- It was a tragedy felt across the country. Eight-year-old Thomas Valva died of hypothermia at the hands of his father and his fiancé, prompting an in-depth look at what went wrong in Suffolk County 's Department of Social Services.After a six-month investigation, a grand jury reported its findings on Thursday. The trial attorneys and the child's former teachers attended the emotional public announcement.
'The failures of CPS in this case were hidden by a dysfunctional system,' Tierney said.Under state confidentiality laws, CPS cases can be shielded from investigators, even after a death of a child.'They are funded to provide this service to protect our children, and in these cases the state law is blocking the accountability,' said Laura Ahearn of the Crime Victims Center.Valva and Pollina are spending 25 years to life in prison.
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