Mom Sobs At Vigil For 'Angel' Cops Say Was Left In Frigid Garage

CENTER MORICHES, NY — Holding her two young sons close, the mother of 8-year-old Thomas Valva, who died after authorities said he was kept in a frigid garage overnight at his father's house, spoke through tears at a vigil Sunday night in memory of her "little angel."

Hundreds of people — many of them police officers, firefighters, EMTs and first responders, as well as community members and families — crowded in to Kaler's Pond Park for the vigil, carrying candles as tears streamed down their faces and they hugged one another in sorrow.

"I just want to express gratitude to all of you for showing up tonight to honor my little angel Thomas, for being here to support a cause too precious to my heart — to honor his life," Justyna Zubko-Valva said. "I'm so grateful for all the support. Words can't describe how it touched my heart. I know I'm not alone."

Sobbing and holding a photo of her son, Zubko-Valva added: "Tonight is all about Tommy. My little baby, who just loved everybody. … His legacy is not going to stop. I am pledging to continue fighting for all those victims of this abusive system. … There are more victims out there. My heart goes out to you, to your families, to the little, innocent babies that cannot speak for themselves."

Both of Zubko-Valva's sons also spoke, the youngest saying, "God bless Tommy." The older boy Anthony took the microphone and said, "We love you all. Thank you for coming."

The gathering was led in prayers by the Rev. Sharon Pizzo of Center Moriches Methodist Church, who also thanked the community for raising its voices and coming together to honor Thomas. Speaking of "unthinkable abuse," she said, "We stand because we can't be silent anymore. ... The tagline that emerged through our experience of 9/11 was, 'If you see something, say something.' Well, now we need to do something."

The night echoed with sadness as the crowd sang "Amazing Grace."

Meanwhile, at the Valva home on Bittersweet Lane where Thomas had lived, a memorial of teddy bears and flowers has been set up outside; blue ribbons, the symbol marking the battle against child abuse, are tied around trees and mailboxes.

A community left reeling after Thomas died is coming together with vigils and fundraisers to help Thomas' mother and two brothers he left behind.

At 5 p.m. Monday, a candlelight prayer service will be held at St. John the Evangelist R.C. Church, 25 Ocean Ave., Center Moriches.

Next, at 6 p.m. Tuesday, the Center Moriches United Methodist Church, at 464 Main St. in Center Moriches, will host an "Evening of Prayer, Healing & Hope" for the community. "All churches, pastors and community are welcomed as we come together as one broken heart let us seek God, who is our restorer," the church said in a Facebook post.

In addition, the Center Moriches Fire Department is planning a "Community Fundraiser for the Family of Thomas Valva." On Wednesday and Thursday, the fire department will open its doors to accept donations.

"We will be collecting gift cards and monetary donations that will benefit Thomas' immediate family," the fire department said in a Facebook post. "Suggestions for gift cards are Visa cards, Walmart, Target, supermarkets and local restaurants like Applebee's, IHOP, Panera Bread, Dairy Queen, TGI Fridays, McDonald's and Burger King, to name a few." Donations will be accepted from 5 to 8 p.m. in the main meeting room on the second floor. For questions regarding the fundraiser, people are asked to contact Maria Renzetti at 631-484-4085 or by email at Mrenzetti@centermorichesfd.com.

In addition, a new GoFundMe page, "In Memory of Thomas Valva," has been set up to benefit Thomas' mother, two brothers and extended family.

"On January 17, 2020 Justyna Zubko-Valva received a call that no mother should ever receive. ... This fundraiser's sole purpose is to benefit the family of Thomas Valva. His mother, two brothers and entire extended family here and abroad have an extremely long road ahead of them," the page said.

Scores of shocked and heartbroken mourners have turned to social media with questions about a system some say failed an 8-year old boy.

The boy's father, NYPD officer Michael Valva, has been charged with second-degree murder along with his fiancée, Angela Pollina.

Despite Thomas' mother's Twitter page, which some say reads like a cry for help from Zubko-Valva, reports indicate that Child Protective Services was aware of the abuse.

The Suffolk County Department of Social Services stated that CPS was notified about abuse more than a year before Thomas Valva died, News 12 said.

On Friday, Suffolk County homicide detectives arrested Valva and Pollina, of 11 Bittersweet Lane in Center Moriches, and charged them with second-degree murder, police said.

Although his father initially reported that Thomas died after a fall in the driveway, new details emerged Friday at a press conference by Suffolk County Police Commissioner Geraldine Hart.

Thomas Valva officially died of hypothermia, according to the Suffolk County Medical Examiner, Hart said. "We believe that he was kept in the garage overnight preceding his death," Hart said. When the boy was found, she said, his body temperature was 76 degrees and he had head and facial injuries that were not consistent with Valva's account of what had happened.

At Valva and Pollina's arraignments, Newsday reported, Assistant District Attorney Laura Newcombe said a recording from the home on Jan. 17 included a child asking: "Why can't Thomas walk?" According to Newcombe, Pollina said, "because he's hypothermic," adding: "When you're washed with cold water and it's freezing you get hypothermia," Newsday reported. The post added that according to Newcombe, Valva said: "He keeps face planting on the concrete."

According to Newcombe, Pollina then said, "You know why he's falling," the Newsday report went on.
And then Valva said, according to Newcombe: "Because he's cold, boo-[expletive]-hoo."

According to Newsday, Newcombe quoted Pollina as then asking Valva what he was doing, adding that Valva responded: "I'm [expletive] suffocating him, that's what I'm doing." Newcombe also quoted Pollina as saying, "Get your hand off his mouth, there's people everywhere," Newsday added.

On Saturday, Zubko-Valva posted a note on Twitter: "I want to personally thank each one of you for love and support towards me and my children. I am still extremely heartbroken, and devastated over the cruel and tragic death of my little angel Thomas that could have been preventable. Please continue keeping us in your prayers."

Matthew Tuohy, a Huntington-based attorney who represents Pollina and represented Valva just for the arraignment, said, "She's saying she's innocent and is not the cause of the child's death. She maintains her innocence 100 percent."

Valva's attorney, Austin Manghan of Riverhead, declined to comment when reached by Patch.
According to Suffolk County District Attorney Tim Sini, both Valva and Pollina were held without bail. Their next court date is Wednesday, according to online records.