Thomas and his brother Anthony, both of whom are autistic, were forced to sleep in the couple’s garage for months prior to Thomas’ death on January 17, 2020, prosecutors said, citing trial evidence.
On that morning, Thomas and his brother had no heat, no bathroom access, no mattress or blankets, and after waking up on the cold cement floor of the garage, Thomas had an accident and soiled his pants, according to the Suffolk County District Attorney’s office.
A surveillance camera showed Michael Valva screaming at Thomas and sending him outside in the subfreezing temperatures, where he was hosed down with water, according to the district attorney’s office, and Thomas lost consciousness and fell face-first onto a concrete patio several times.