A Ghanaian couple based in the United States has been found guilty of second-degree murder in the tragic death of their five-year-old son, marking a harrowing conclusion to a nearly three-year legal battle. Valerie Owusu and Emmanuel Addae, the parents of the victim, were convicted of brutally beating their son and leaving him for dead on Long Island in 2021, according to the Suffolk County District Attorney’s office.

Prosecutors revealed that the couple subjected the child to relentless abuse, using “at least four different instruments” over a span of three days. Despite the severity of the boy’s injuries, neither Owusu nor Addae sought medical assistance or called emergency services.

Instead, they transported the severely injured child to a relative’s home, where he was later discovered deceased.

“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. 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,” stated the District Attorney in a press release.

The Ghanaian couple is set to be sentenced on May 1, 2024, facing the possibility of life imprisonment for their heinous actions.