The mother of Thomas Valva, the 8-year-old Long Island boy who died after freezing in a room above his father’s garage, will receive $5.6 million as part of a $9 million settlement with Suffolk County, according to court documents. The ruling brings an end to a lengthy legal battle over the child’s death in January 2020.
Justyna Zubko-Valva had initially rejected the proposed settlement, arguing that the amount allocated to her was insufficient. However, U.S. District Judge Brian M. Cogan approved a revised distribution of the settlement funds.
In his decision, Cogan wrote that the overall $9 million settlement was “fair and reasonable under the circumstances of the case,” formally approving the agreement.
