A settlement of $9 million that had been negotiated in the tragic death of 8‑year‑old Thomas Valva, who froze to death at the hands of his former NYPD officer father, fell apart on Tuesday when his mother, Justyna Zubko‑Valva, said the amount was unacceptable.
Zubko‑Valva accused the lawyers she retained of misconduct for agreeing to the deal and declined to sign the paperwork during a two‑hour conference in court on Friday.
Judge Edward Korman said to the press, “I’m at a loss as to what to do here.”
She explained to the judge that she urgently needed cash to keep her home from being foreclosed, which caused the negotiations to break down.
The settlement, which had been drafted in September, is now in limbo with no clear direction.
The judge admitted he might still force the settlement to move forward.
The case had shaken the normally quiet community of Suffolk County after the cold‑weather killing in January 2020.
Thomas Valva’s father, Michael Valva, was later sentenced to life for the murder, while his former fiancée, Angela Pollina, received a similar sentence.
The child had been repeatedly abused and made to sleep in an unheated garage, a situation that drew repeated complaints to the county’s Child Protective Services, yet the county was never held responsible until last year, when Zubko‑Valva sued for $200 million.
During the court session, she also raised concerns that the settlement terms had shifted. She told the court she had been led to believe most of the money would go to her, with smaller portions earmarked for her surviving sons’ futures.
She further claimed her attorneys forged her signature and prolonged the case for a larger fee, calling the arrangement a “money grab.”
A source said she would prefer not to divide the money with her children, avoid paying attorney fees or taxes, and therefore feels she deserves more.
Her attorneys have denied these allegations, saying they have repeatedly attempted to meet with her to complete the necessary documentation, but she has not agreed.
“The Liakas Law firm fought successfully for a $9 million client settlement and systemic changes to protect NY children. We have no involvement with any internal family disputes,” Hank Sheinkopf, a spokesperson for the firm, said.
Zubko‑Valva has not been available for comment.
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