Suffolk County has agreed to a $9 million settlement with Justina Zubko-Valva, the mother of 8-year-old Thomas Valva, whose death in 2020 sparked outrage and calls for systemic reform.

Zubko-Valva alleged that county officials ignored years of warning signs that her son was being abused, beaten, and starved. Thomas died of hypothermia after being forced to sleep in a freezing garage at his father’s home.

Thomas’ father, Michael Valva, and his ex-fiancée, Angela Pollina, were both convicted of murder and are serving sentences of 25 years to life in prison.

In a statement to News 12, attorneys for Zubko-Valva said, “While no legal outcome can ever undo such a devastating tragedy, this case stands as a powerful reminder that institutions entrusted with the care of children must be held to the highest standards. Through this resolution, and the reforms it has helped to spark, we hope to ensure that Thomas’s death was not in vain and that no other child is left unprotected by systemic failures.”