The verdict came at the trial of ex-NYPD cop Michael Valva, who locked his autistic son in a garage and starved him

A FORMER police officer has been found guilty of murder after leaving his autistic son frozen to death in a garage.

Thomas Valva, 8, died after being locked in the cold garage of a home in Long Island, New York overnight.

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It took a Suffolk County jury less than half a day to unanimously return Michael Valva a guilty verdict on all charges, including second-degree murder, Bronx News 12 reported.

Valva’s abuse of little Thomas was detailed at the trial, including allegations that Thomas was so starved that he ate crumbs off the school floor, according to the New York Post.

The boy’s principal testified in court that the school tried to help the boy by calling the child protection hotline.

The principal said that both of Valva’s sons, who were mentally challenged, appeared to be fine when they arrived at the school in 2017, but later showed up to class feeling cold and hungry.

The two began to look “extremely emaciated,” which motivated faculty to make calls to CPS.

Thomas died on January 17, 2020 and the cause of death was determined to be hypothermia.

He and his then 10-year-old brother Anthony were locked in the unheated 19-degree garage after being punished by their father, although Anthony survived the cruelty.

In court, an emergency responder on the witness stand said Valva had “no emotion, no sense of concern” for his son and told emergency services that he stopped responding to Thomas after he banged his head on the door frame.

Valva, a former NYPD officer, now faces a life sentence of 25 years.

Angela Pollina, Valva’s 45-year-old ex-fiancé who was living with him and the boys at the time of Thomas’s murder, has also been charged and will face trial at a later date.

Defense attorneys at the trial insisted Pollina take the abuse to the next level and refused to allow Valva to give Thomas a blanket and other necessities before he died.

Although Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond Tierney said his team was pleased with the verdict, he also declared, “No child should ever have to endure such evil deeds.”

The prosecutor said, in part, “While there is nothing we can do to bring Thomas back, we are pleased with the jury’s decision.”

The statement continued, “(Valva) will now pay for him to cut short the life of a young, innocent, defenseless boy who had a life ahead of him.”

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