Grand Jury Report Blames Child Protective System for 8-Year-Old's Death, Offers No Charges Against CPS Workers
A scathing grand jury report criticizes Suffolk County's Child Protective Services for failures leading to the death of Thomas Valva, but recommends no criminal charges against caseworkers.
- The grand jury report highlights the secretive nature of New York's child protective system, which failed to act on multiple reports of abuse suffered by 8-year-old Thomas Valva.
- Despite 11 reports of abuse, Suffolk County's Child Protective Services deemed them 'unfounded,' allowing the abuse to continue until Thomas' death from hypothermia in 2020.
- The report criticizes confidentiality laws that shield CPS caseworkers from scrutiny and potential criminal charges, calling for legislative reforms.
- No criminal charges will be filed against CPS workers, but the grand jury proposes several recommendations to amend state and county laws to prevent future failures.
- Thomas Valva's death has sparked outrage and calls for accountability, with Suffolk County's CPS under heightened monitoring by the Office of Children and Family Services.
New York Daily News 
New York Post 