Ghanaian couple sentenced to 25 years each for murdering five-year-old son by US court

Ghanaian couple Valarie Owusu and Emmanuel Addae, both 28, have been sentenced to 25 years to life imprisonment for the tragic murder of their five-year-old son, King Owusu, by a US court.

The sentencing, which occurred on May 1, 2024, saw the couple convicted of second-degree depraved indifference murder. The heartbreaking case unfolded in Corona, Queens, where the family resided.

Despite the couple’s 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 expressed deep regret for not recognizing the gravity of the abuse sooner.

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

The couple was earlier found guilty by a jury for the brutal beating death of King Owusu.

The evidence presented during the trial established that between March 30 and April 1, 2021, Owusu and Addae brutally beat King with at least four different instruments inside their apartment in Lefrak City, Queens.

Despite witnessing King’s physical condition deteriorate for approximately three days until he lost consciousness, the couple did not seek medical help.

Instead, on April 1, 2021, they brought King to a family member’s home in Brentwood and left him there to die. The Suffolk County Police Department was notified after the family member discovered that the boy was deceased.

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

Owusu and Addae were each convicted of Murder in the Second Degree after a two-and-a-half-week-long jury trial. They now face up to 25 years to life in prison.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Elena Tomaro of the Homicide Bureau and Assistant District Attorney Scott Romano of the Major Crime Bureau.

The investigation was conducted by Detective Patrick Portella and Detective James Hughes of the Suffolk County Police Department’s Homicide Squad.