In a jaw-dropping turn, Justyna Zubko-Valva—the mother of Thomas Valva, the little boy whose shocking 2020 death sent shockwaves through Suffolk County—has suddenly agreed to a reworked $9 million settlement. But now the county is pumping the brakes, and a legal showdown could be brewing.
Zubko-Valva, who’s been locked in a bitter court battle after her 8-year-old son tragically froze to death in the garage of his father’s Long Island home, stunned the courtroom Monday when she green-lit the latest deal. This outcome is a reversal from just weeks ago, when she refused to sign the original agreement, demanding more recognition for the suffering endured by her family.
Desperate circumstances appear to have forced Zubko-Valva’s hand. She tearfully told the judge her family was on the brink of losing their home to foreclosure and she was struggling to provide for her two remaining sons, 16-year-old Anthony and 12-year-old Andrew. “We are about to lose everything. I need to support my children,” she pleaded.
But the drama didn’t stop there. Suffolk County officials are suddenly balking at the revised agreement, insiders told The Post. Their big concern? New terms that could mean Anthony and Andrew—who survived the ordeal—might launch fresh lawsuits against the county once they’re old enough. The revised language introduces a whole new layer of risk previously absent from the wrongful-death structure set up to avoid costly tax headaches.
This latest twist comes after Zubko-Valva accused her own legal team of dragging out the process just to chase a fatter paycheck, even refusing to meet them and venting her frustrations in open court. At one exasperated hearing, Judge Edward Korman admitted, “I don’t know what to do anymore,” as negotiations spiraled, according to Newsday.
If Suffolk County gives the green light, Zubko-Valva would reportedly receive $2 million right away, plus $2 million tucked into trusts for each son. Her lawyers would collect a hefty $3 million in fees—a payout sure to raise eyebrows.
Thomas Valva’s gruesome demise at age 8 horrified the community. Driven by abuse from his NYPD cop father, Michael Valva, and the father’s then-fiancée Angela Pollina, Thomas was forced to endure freezing nights in an unheated garage. Both Michael and Angela were convicted of murder and handed sentences of 25 years to life behind bars.
In 2022, Zubko-Valva hit Suffolk County with a colossal $200 million lawsuit for dropping the ball, claiming they ignored repeated cries for help as young Thomas suffered. Now, as the revised settlement hangs in the balance, the embattled mother waits for the county’s next move—a decision that could spark even more courtroom fireworks.
