Prosecutors described in horrifying detail on Thursday the years of abuse endured by two of NYPD officer Michael Valva’s children — as the cop and his fiancee pleaded not guilty to felony murder indictments in the hypothermia death of Valva’s 8-year-old son, Tommy.
Valva, 40, and Angela Pollina, 42, appeared separately in Suffolk County Supreme Court and sat stone-faced as prosecutors announced new child endangerment charges against them for allegedly neglecting and abusing Tommy and his brother Anthony.
“As a police officer, [Valva] took an oath to serve and protect the citizens of New York City at large. However, as a parent to Thomas, as well as to Anthony, he had a duty to protect his children from physical harm and provide them adequate medical treatment,” prosecutor Kerriann Kelly said during the hearing.
“The evidence in this case will show that the defendant failed Thomas and Anthony miserably, instead treating them in a manner that was nothing short of cruel, callous, wanton and evil.”
Kelly said the abuse of the two boys became apparent in 2017, shortly after their mom, Justyna Zubko-Valva, lost custody of them, when the kids started showing up at their East Moriches school hungry.
“[The boys were] eating crumbs off tables and eating out of the garbage and going under the bleachers at the gym to try and find food,” Kelly said.
“They were literally begging for food at school.”
The two allegedly were deprived of breakfast and starved in punishment for failing to call Valva’s new paramour, Pollina, “Mommy,” Kelly said.
By their second year in the school district, the elementary-age boys came to class wearing “pull-ups” while reeking of urine and feces, with bruises and cuts on their bodies.
“Thomas came to school so soiled one day that the urine was squishing in his sneakers,” Kelly described as Zubko-Valva sobbed loudly in the courtroom.
The prosecutor described how the brothers were loath to go out for recess because they were so cold, leading school staff to give them clothes “in secret … as to avoid further punishment of the boys.”
“The children were sent off to school freezing cold. Their hands and cheeks were bright red and icy cold to the touch,” Kelly said.
She also revealed new details on how Michael Valva reacted when he found out Thomas had died, allegedly saying at the hospital, “I’ve been through more stressful things than this.”
Two days before Thomas died, he was banished to the family garage and was captured on the home’s surveillance cameras “shaking in the freezing cold air and clearly exhibiting signs of his need to use the bathroom in 19-degree weather,” Kelly said.
There was no bathroom in the garage and if Thomas soiled himself, he would be punished.
Pollina sent a clip of the video to Valva and asked if Thomas was going to stay home from school the next day.
“I have zero clothing for him, f–k the piece of shit Thomas, he’s not going anywhere,” Valva texted, according to prosecutors.
Ten minutes later, he seemed to poke fun at the trembling boy.
“Geez it seems like he has to go, too bad he doesn’t have a bathroom,” Valva texted.
In response, Pollina allegedly wrote: “Seriously, if only he had a bathroom.”
In response, Pollina’s lawyer Matthew Tuohy said she is “maintaining her innocence” — “especially” regarding Tommy’s murder.
Valva’s lawyer Robert Del Col offered a few cryptic comments to reporters after the hearing, saying his job is “to maintain the integrity of the system.”
The duo were remanded after the arraignment and are expected back in court Feb. 24.
