A New Jersey father behind bars for the death of his son allegedly subjected the child to strenuous treadmill exercise sessions after allegedly calling him fat.
According to CourtTV, jurors at Ocean City’s Superior Court watched a video during the trial Tuesday that showed 6-year-old Corey Micciolo directed onto a treadmill by his father, Christopher Gregor, 31.
Gregor is currently on trial for Corey’s murder.
Corey, who was just a few weeks shy of his seventh birthday, died in April 2021 from “blunt force injuries with cardiac and liver contusions with acute inflammation and sepsis,” according to an autopsy report.
The surveillance footage, taken on March 20, 2021, at Atlantic Heights Clubhouse Fitness Center, showed Gregor demanding Corey to run on a treadmill, despite the child falling repeatedly from the machine’s high-speed setting.
As CrimeOnline previously reported, court documents indicate although Corey fell off the treadmill several times, Gregor continued to increase the speed. At one point, Gregor allegedly appeared to bite his son on the head while putting the child back on the treadmill.
Corey’s mother, Breanna Micciolo, previously told CrimeOnline that although there were numerous warning signs of abuse, she felt the Department of Protection and Permanency (child social services) didn’t do enough to help, despite her making child abuse reports.
Micciolo began taking photos of her son after she suspected something was wrong. She said she tried to get the judge to allow her full custody of her son in April, but it didn’t happen in time.
She was the first person to take the stand Wednesday and testified that on April 1, the defendant took Corey to see a doctor while in his care for the weekend. During the visit, Corey told medical staff Gregor called him “fat” and made him run on the treadmill because of his weight.
The following day, Corey was rushed to the hospital after waking up with slurred words, nausea, and breath shortness. While undergoing a CT scan, Corey had a seizure; medical personnel performed unsuccessful life-saving measures.
A preliminary autopsy revealed that Corey had blunt force trauma injuries, and cardiac and liver contusions, along with acute inflammation and sepsis.
“Specifically by having (Corey) run on a treadmill and increasing the speed, causing (Corey) to fall, placing (him) back on the moving treadmill while appearing to bite his head, causing the said child to fall several more times,” the arrest warrant read.
In September 2021, a forensic pathologist concluded that Corey’s death was a homicide, attributing it to enduring chronic abuse. This included blunt force injuries to his chest and abdomen, along with a laceration on his heart, a left pulmonary contusion, and liver lacerations and contusions.
Gregor has pleaded not guilty. The trial continues.
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[Feature Photo: Corey Micciolo/Justice for Corey; Handout]
