Michael Valva case: Testimony alleges dog slept in heated room while boy froze to death

RIVERHEAD, N.Y. (TCD) --

New testimony at a pre-trial hearing is shedding light on the case of former NYPD officer Michael Valva, who was charged with murder after his 8-year-old son froze to death in January 2020.

WPIX-TV shared part of the 911 call Valva made on the night of January 17, 2020, in which he says: "My son, I don’t know if he’s breathing or not. I don’t know if his heart stopped."

Valva says his son Thomas "fell down and banged his head pretty good." He was performing CPR while waiting for paramedics to arrive.

Prosecutors allege Michael Valva's fiancée Angela Pollina dragged Thomas down the stairs after soiling his pants and left him in the garage to sleep, where he ultimately died of hypothermia.

WPIX reports Pollina allegedly texted Michael Valva about video footage showing Thomas shivering on the garage floor, and Michael allegedly responded, “F--- that piece of s---, Thomas. He is not going anywhere."

On Monday, May 17, 2021, the family's housekeeper Tyrene Rodriguez testified at Valva's pre-trial hearing. WPIX reports Rodriguez revealed she kept her cleaning supplies in the room where the dog slept.

The Suffolk County prosecutor asked Rodriguez, "And that's a heated room, correct?"

She confirmed it was.

Rodriguez said during the pre-trial hearing she heard a child crying when she arrived at Valva and Pollina's house on January 17.

Pollina reportedly told Rodriguez that Thomas would "be OK” after she said she was concerned.

She said she saw the garage door open, then Michael Valva and Pollina "escorted" Thomas to the basement. A few minutes later, Rodriguez said, Pollina came back upstairs and said Thomas wasn't breathing.

Rodriguez said she went to the basement, where she found Thomas "completely naked."

She said "He was very blue. His lips were blue."

AUDIO: 911 tapes: NYPD dad charged with murder tried to revive 8-year-old son who froze in garage - WPIX

Rodriguez testified she "knelt by Thomas' head to hold him steady while Mike was compressing his chest" during CPR. Paramedics arrived, and Rodriguez said they "pulled out those paddles and then they realized there was nothing happening."

Last week, Valva's lawyers pinned Thomas' death on Pollina, but WPIX reports her lawyers are doing the same to Valva.

His attorney John LoTurco said, "We are making a similar motion indicating that Angela Pollina was primarily responsible for the death of Thomas Valva, that she was in control of the discipline in that family."

According to WPIX, Thomas and his brother were both on the autism spectrum. Thomas had another brother and lived with Pollina's daughters.

Teachers at East Moriches School District reportedly called the New York State Child Abuse Hotline over 20 times after reportedly seeing the boys come to class with bruises, wearing pull-up diapers, and craving food. Thomas and his brother reportedly looked through trash to find extra food.

WLNY-TV reports the trial will begin in September. A judge will rule on whether Valva and Pollina will get separate or one trial.

MORE:

• NYPD cop’s dog slept in heated room while son froze to death in garage: testimony - WPIX
• Ex-NYPD cop’s dog slept in heated room as son froze in garage: housekeeper - New York Post
• Thomas Valva Case: Ex-NYPD Officer Michael Valva, Former Fiancée Angela Pollina Appear In Court For Pre-Trial Hearing, 5/15/2021 - WLNY
• 911 tapes: NYPD dad charged with murder tried to revive 8-year-old son who froze in garage, 5/12/2021 - WPIX
• Ex-NYPD cop blames former fiancée for death of 8-year-old son, 5/14/2021 - WPIX
• ‘House of horror’: Cameras capture Thomas Valva dragged down stairs, forced into cold garage before death: prosecutors, 2/26/2020 - WPIX
• NYPD cop, fiancée charged after 8-year-old son freezes to death, 1/25/2020 - TCD

YouTube: Cop allegedly froze autistic son to death; Snapchat sextortionist targeted kids, 1/31/2020 - TCDPOD