Ghanaian Couple Found Guilty Of Second-Degree Murder In Brutal Death Of 5-Year-Old Son

In a harrowing conclusion to a tragic case, a Queens, N.Y., couple has been convicted of second-degree murder following the brutal death of a 5-year-old boy who was subjected to relentless beatings and ultimately left for dead on Long Island.

The Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office announced the convictions of Valerie Owusu and Emmanuel Addae on March 22, nearly three years after the lifeless body of Owusu’s son, King, was discovered in a residence in Brentwood, N.Y.

District Attorney Raymond Tierney condemned the heinous act, stating, “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.”

Tierney commended the exhaustive efforts of the Suffolk County Police Department in their investigation, as well as the unwavering dedication of the prosecutors involved in seeking justice. He expressed gratitude for the jury's thorough review of the evidence, which led to the accountability of the defendants for their appalling actions.

According to prosecutors, Owusu and Addae subjected the child to a relentless onslaught of abuse, utilizing “at least four different instruments” over a span of three days in 2021. The boy's health rapidly deteriorated, eventually resulting in loss of consciousness.

Shockingly, neither Owusu nor Addae sought medical assistance or contacted emergency services for the gravely injured child.

On April 1, 2021, the couple brought the boy to a relative’s residence and abandoned him there. Upon the relative's return, King was tragically discovered deceased.

Medical examinations revealed that the young victim had sustained a multitude of injuries from head to toe, indicative of prolonged and severe abuse.

Owusu and Addae now face the prospect of life imprisonment as they await sentencing scheduled for May 1, marking the culmination of a legal process seeking justice for the innocent child whose life was cut short by unfathomable cruelty.