Suffolk County Child Protective Services undergoing mandated changes in wake of 8-year-old Thomas Valva's death
RIVERHEAD, N.Y. -- It's been almost four years since Thomas Valva was murdered by his father and his father's fiancee.
After Child Protective Services missed key clues, mandated changes to Suffolk County's CPS are being made, including allowed the public to monitor workers' caseloads.
"CPS has been transformed since Thomas' murder," Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone said.
Eight-year-old Thomas Valva froze and starved to death at the hands of his father and his fiancee. The unthinkable murder prompted demands for sweeping changes in Suffolk County's child welfare system.
The murder trial showed overwhelmed case workers had taken the word of Thomas' father, an NYPD cop, over his mother, who lost custody.
Thomas was placed with his father, who abused him, killed him and lied.
The CPS Transformation Act has lessened Suffolk caseloads from 26-plus per worker to 12 or fewer. CPS is hiring more workers, increasing salaries and improving oversight with a so-called "public dashboard."
Child abuse happens everywhere. The Valvas lived in a big house, but that's not the norm.
- Read more: Former NYPD Officer Michael Valva sentenced to 25 years to life for murder of 8-year-old son
"When you're poor and you're stressed, that's where abuse comes from ... Sixty-eight percent of the cases that we have are poverty-driven," said Frances Pierre, Department of Social Services commissioner.
But recently, state lawmakers decreased the threshold for wellness checks based on parental rights demands, court intervention and law enforcement challenges.
"While Thomas Valva's mom has been fighting for justice for him, they changed the state law to make it harder for a CPS caseworker to get into a home to investigate," said Laura Ahearn, with the Crime Victims Center.
"Even though we know we can't stop evil from being committed, what we can control is getting the best, most effective systems in place," Bellone said.
In the name of Thomas Valva.
Thomas' mother, Justyna Zubko Valva, is suing Suffolk County and CPS for $200 million in her son's hypothermia death.