US court jails Ghanaian couple 25 years each for murdering five-year-old son

A Ghanaian couple, Valarie Owusu and Emmanuel Addae, both 28, have been handed a sentence of 25 years to life imprisonment for the murder of their five-year-old son.

The sentencing, which took place on May 1, 2024, saw the couple convicted of second-degree depraved indifference murder.

The tragic case unfolded in Corona, Queens, where the couple resided.

Despite their pleas for leniency and expressions of love for the child, acting State Supreme Court Justice Steven Pilewski imposed the maximum sentence allowed by law.

During the trial, Valarie Owusu, attempted to deflect responsibility, claiming ignorance of the severity of her son's injuries until they were revealed in court.

She recounted entering into a relationship with Addae, the father of her two other children, in search of a paternal figure for her son.

Overcome with emotion, she expressed deep regret for not recognizing the gravity of the abuse sooner.

Emmanuel Addae, the stepfather, also professed his affection for the young boy, King Owusu, and shared his hope for a spiritual reunion.

Read below how the couple were earlier found guilty by a jury for the murder of their son as published on the Suffol County website

Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney today announced that Valerie Owusu, 28, and Emmanuel Addae, 28, of Corona, Queens, were found guilty of Murder in the Second Degree after a jury trial, for the 2021 beating death of Owusu’s 5-year-old son, King Owusu.

“This little boy was beaten and suffered for days at the hands of these defendants, one of whom was his own mother, until he unfortunately succumbed to his severe and extensive injuries,” said District Attorney Tierney. “Thanks to the thorough investigation by the Suffolk County Police Department, the relentless pursuit of justice by the prosecutors assigned to this case, and the jury’s careful consideration of the evidence presented, the defendants have been held accountable for this horrific crime.”

The evidence at trial established that between March 30 and April 1, 2021, Owusu and Addae brutally beat King with at least four different instruments inside of their apartment in Lefrak City, Queens. The couple watched King’s physical condition deteriorate for approximately three days until King lost unconsciousness. During that time, both Owusu and Addae did not call 911, take King to the doctor, or provide any medical care to the child.

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On April 1, 2021, Owusu and Addae brought King to a family member’s home in Brentwood and left him there to die. The Suffolk County Police Department was called after the family member returned home the same day and discovered that the boy was deceased. The child was taken to Southside Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

The medical examiner who conducted the child’s autopsy testified that King was beaten from head to toe, and that his injuries, which were too numerous to count, caused his death.

On March 22, 2024, Owusu and Addae were each convicted of Murder in the Second Degree, a Class A felony, after a two-and-a-half-week-long jury trial heard before Supreme Court Justice Steven A. Pilewski. Each defendant faces up to 25 years to life in prison.

Owusu and Addae are due back in court for sentencing on May 1, 2024. Owusu is being represented by Rene Myatt, Esq. Addae is being represented by Raymond Baierlein, Esq.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Elena Tomaro of the Homicide Bureau, Assistant District Attorney Scott Romano of the Major Crime Bureau, and the investigation was conducted by Detective Patrick Portella and Detective James Hughes of the Suffolk County Police Department’s Homicide Squad.



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