In a horrific case that has shocked the community, a 28-year-old mother from New York and her 28-year-old boyfriend were convicted of killing the woman’s 5-year-old son, King Owusu, in a brutal attack that left the child beaten from head to toe.
The couple, Valerie Owusu and Emmanuel Addae, were found guilty on one count each of second-degree murder in the 2021 slaying of King Owusu. The trial, which lasted two and a half weeks, took place before Supreme Court Justice Steven A. Pilewski in Suffolk County. The verdict was announced on March 23, 2024, following a detailed investigation and presentation of evidence by the prosecution.
The evidence presented during the trial revealed that Owusu and Addae used at least four different instruments to brutally beat King inside their apartment in Lefrak City, Queens, over three days from March 30 to April 1. The couple reportedly watched as King’s physical condition worsened over several days before he finally lost consciousness and died. This horrific crime was committed in the presence of the child’s own mother, who is also the boyfriend’s partner.
After the attack, instead of seeking medical help for King, Owusu and Addae took him to the home of Addae’s parents in Long Island, New York. On April 1, 2021, they left King at the family member’s home in Brentwood, where he was later discovered deceased. The Suffolk County Police Department was called after the family member returned home that day and found King dead. The medical examiner who conducted the autopsy testified that King was beaten from head to toe, and his injuries, which were too numerous to count, caused his death.
In a shocking turn of events, after leaving King at the parents’ home, Owusu and Addae drove back to Queens and took the daughter they shared to the mall to go shopping. A search of their home reportedly turned up a belt and several broken sticks that had been used in the attack. The couple is scheduled to appear in court again for their sentencing hearing on May 1, facing up to 25 years to life in a state detention facility.
This case has drawn national attention due to its brutality and the callousness of the defendants, who not only took the life of a defenseless child but also continued to live their lives as if nothing had happened. The verdict and the subsequent sentencing will serve as a stark reminder of the consequences of such heinous crimes and the importance of justice for the victims and their families.
