Michael Valva worked for the New York Police Department for 15 years. His arrest in 2020 in connection with his son’s death came as a shock to many. But as time went by and details of 8-year-old Thomas Valva’s short life and death came to light, many turned on Michael Valva. A court convicted the NYPD veteran and his then-fiancé, Angela Pollina, of second-degree murder after Thomas died from hypothermia after being forced to sleep in a freezing garage without heat as a sadistic form of punishment.
Following the conviction, Suffolk County legislators agreed to pay Thomas’ mother, Justyna Zubko-Valva, a $9 million settlement. But the case just hit a snag, leaving officials at a loss.
According to the New York Post, Zubko-Valva won a federal lawsuit against Suffolk County after the district attorney’s office found Child Protective Services failed Thomas.
“All of those 11 reports were made prior to the death of that child,” District Attorney Ray Tierney said. “No one looking at this can come to any other conclusion other than CPS failed these boys, failed these boys miserably, and as a result, Thomas died.”
Zubko-Valva reportedly reached a $9 million settlement in October but recently refused to sign off on it, Newsday reported via the Post.
Zubko-Valva accused her attorneys of misconduct when making the deal. “I’m at a loss as to what to do here,” Judge Edward Korman said following a two-hour court conference.
The grieving mother reportedly told the judge just before refusing to sign off thatshe desperately needed the money to keep her home out of foreclosure.
“I understand that you won’t agree to sign a settlement. If that’s correct, there’s nothing more I can do,” Korman told Newsday per the Post.
An insider apparently thinks Zubko-Valva is being greedy. “It’s a money grab,” a source reportedly told the Post. The person said $9 million isn’t enough for Zubko-Valva, who reportedly didn’t want to split the settlement with her other children or pay attorney’s fees or taxes.
“The Liakas Law firm fought successfully for a $9 million client settlement and systemic changes to protect NY children. We have no involvement with any internal family disputes,” Hank Sheinkopf, a spokesman for the law firm, told the Post.
No amount of money will ever bring Thomas back, and we cannot imagine this mother’s grief. Sadly, sometimes the justice system doesn’t seem very just.
