A New Jersey man, Christopher Gregor, aged 31, is on trial for allegedly murdering his son, Corey Micciolo, in 2021.
As the New York Post reported, Court footage revealed Gregor compelling his six-year-old to run on a treadmill at increased speeds and inclines at the Atlantic Heights Clubhouse fitness centre on March 20, 2021. The video depicts Gregor placing Corey on the treadmill and adjusting it to more difficult settings despite the boy repeatedly falling, which reportedly originated from Gregor’s perception of his son being overweight. He now faces a potential life sentence if convicted.
The trial intensified emotionally when Corey’s mother, Bre Micciolo, watched the video evidence tearfully.
According to the US Sun, days before Corey’s death, Ms. Micciolo had alerted child protective services about her son’s injuries. She had requested Gregor to take him for a medical examination on April 1. During this visit, Corey disclosed to the doctor that his father made him run on the treadmill over concerns about his weight.
The situation worsened the next day when Gregor urgently took Corey to the hospital after he exhibited alarming symptoms like stumbling, slurred speech, nausea, and breathing difficulties.
A CT scan revealed Corey had a seizure. Despite immediate medical intervention, Corey could not be saved. An autopsy concluded that he died from blunt force trauma with injuries to his heart and liver, leading to acute inflammation and sepsis, as detailed by the New York Post.
In July 2021, Gregor was arrested for child neglect after investigators reviewed the fitness centre’s surveillance video. An arrest warrant cited by media sources noted that Gregor forced Corey onto the treadmill, increased the speed, causing the child to fall, and disturbingly appeared to bite his head, causing further falls.
A forensic pathologist ruled Corey’s death a homicide, noting signs of chronic abuse, including blunt impact injuries to his chest and abdomen, a lacerated heart, lung damage, and liver injuries.
Gregor was arrested again on March 9, 2022, for his involvement in Corey’s death and is currently held without bond in Ocean City Jail.
