SUFFOLK COUNTY, NY – Angela Pollina, 45, was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison after a jury found her guilty of Murder in the Second Degree and other related charges in connection with the death of her stepson, 8-year-old Thomas Valva. Thomas died of hypothermia in 2020 after he and his 10-year-old brother were forced to sleep in an unheated garage in freezing temperatures.
Pollina’s former fiancé, Michael Valva, the boys’ father, was previously sentenced to 25 years to life in prison. Evidence presented at trial showed that Pollina consciously disregarded her stepsons’ wellbeing, which ultimately led to Thomas’ death.
During the trial, text messages exchanged between Pollina and Michael Valva revealed Pollina’s insistence that the boys sleep in the garage of their Center Moriches home and not be allowed to use the bathrooms inside. For months, Thomas and his brother were forced to endure these harsh conditions without blankets or proper facilities. School employees testified that the boys appeared malnourished and unkempt, often eating food from the floor or garbage.
Pollina admitted during her testimony to deleting footage from the home’s surveillance camera and claimed that she did not realize her actions were wrong until after Thomas was pronounced dead at the hospital. She referred to her actions as “evil” but put the blame on the boys’ father for Thomas’ death.
Both Pollina and her former fiancé, Michael Valva, are now serving 25 years to life in prison for their crimes.
