'Oh my God': Jurors gasp at Angela Pollina's state of mind on day little Thomas Valva froze to death
Warning: This article contains a recollection of crime and can be triggering to some, readers' discretion advised.
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SUFFOLK COUNTY, NEW YORK: Jurors were shocked after former cop Michael Valva’s ex-fiancée, Angela Pollina, said during her Long Island trial on Wednesday, March 8, that it was “a little chilly” but she was “comfortable” on the morning her husband's son Thomas froze to death. As jurors gasped, one quietly said, “Oh my God." Pollina made these statements during her cross-examination by Assistant District Attorney Kerriann Kelly in Suffolk County Court. Autistic child Thomas Valva, 8, died after being left by his father to sleep in a freezing garage.
The prosecutor revealed videos of Thomas and his brother Anthony, 10, shivering on the cement garage floor. In one of the videos, recorded on January 5, 2020, Thomas took a dirty towel from the laundry basket to keep himself warm. Texting the video to Michael, Pollina wrote, "That SOB Thomas went in the dirty laundry basket to get a dirty towel. Look how he sneaks.” Michael messaged back asking her to leave the children alone. Thomas died two weeks later.
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'I believe they had behavior issues'
Assistant DA Kelly revealed more messages, including one dated February 27, 2019, in which Pollina asked Michael to wash his son off in the yard instead of using the bathroom. “No bathroom! You want to wash them, do it in the backyard!” she said. She added that she was taking Thomas' mattress away. “It was a tough environment,” Pollina now told the jury. “I believe they had behavior issues.”
Michael was convicted in December last year of murder in Thomas' death. He was sentenced to 25 years to life behind prison. When he said he did not want the boys exiled anymore, Pollina told him he was “using [Thomas’s] autism as an excuse.” “Try whatever you want but he is not coming back in this house,” she wrote.
Jurors were visibly upset as Pollina detailed the horrors. Some shook their heads, some gasped and one man was seen wiping away tears. Many covered their faces with their hands as the cross-examination continued, according to New York Post.
'I’m not feeding nobody!'
Recordings played in court also revealed how Pollina once berated Anthony and forced him to put socks on his hands as she did not want to catch his germs. She accused the boy of putting his hands down his pants. When Kelly asked her if she considered that the boy may just have been trying to stay warm in the garage or was uncomfortable because she had forced him to wear diapers, Pollina said, "It was inappropriate!”
Kelly revealed text messages where Pollina told Michael she was sending the children to school without breakfast. “I’m not feeding nobody!” Pollina allegedly texted. “I’m taking care of my own f*****g kids and that’s it. Your kids better not give my name to any more f*****g teachers!”
Pollina earlier admitted she had been “evil” and “horrible" with the children and said she put the boys in the garage the night before Thomas died of hypothermia. She also said she tried to delete surveillance camera footage of the incident. Pollina has been charged with second-degree murder and child endangerment.
'Praying you get some kind of justice'
Social media users reacted to the news, with one saying, "I remember this story, poor kid". Another said, "Poor baby may he rest in the arms of God out of that hellish nightmare. I pray justice is served to the two monsters who killed this innocent child." "I'm praying you get some kind of Justice your other two kids are going to need a lot of help and so are you," one user commented on Facebook. "I heard from a person in the courthouse today that the DA was a relentless “shark” going after Angela! YAY TEAM!" another user said on Facebook.
Poor baby😪💔💔 may he rest in the arms of God✝️✝️✝️ out of that hellish nightmare. I pray justice is served to the two monsters who killed this innocent child.
— i❤dachshunds (@mydoxienme) March 9, 2023