Disturbing footage has surfaced depicting a New Jersey father coercing his six-year-old son to run on a treadmill under the pretext of weight concerns, just days before the tragic demise of the child due to alleged chronic abuse.
Christopher Gregor, 31, appeared in court on Tuesday to confront murder charges following the 2021 death of his son, Corey Micciolo, attributed to “blunt force trauma” after enduring years of purported abuse. Gregor faces the prospect of life imprisonment if convicted.
During the trial, surveillance footage from the Atlantic Heights Clubhouse fitness center was presented, capturing harrowing scenes of Corey repeatedly falling off the treadmill while Gregor forcibly returned him to it.
In one distressing moment captured on CCTV, Gregor is observed seemingly biting his son’s head before compelling him to resume running, as reported by the NYP. The treadmill’s excessive speed far exceeded the child’s ability to keep pace, resulting in multiple falls and desperate attempts to continue.
Days after the distressing gym incident, Corey’s mother, Breanna Micciolo, who shared custody with Gregor, noticed her son’s injuries and promptly reported them to child protection authorities. During a medical visit on April 2, Corey disclosed that his father had compelled him to run on the treadmill due to weight concerns, according to the U.S. Sun. Tragically, Corey passed away the following day.
Gregor rushed Corey to the hospital when the child exhibited alarming symptoms, including stumbling, slurred speech, nausea, and breathing difficulties after waking from a nap. Despite medical intervention, Corey’s condition deteriorated rapidly, culminating in his untimely death. The initial autopsy attributed Corey’s demise to blunt force injuries, cardiac and liver contusions, inflammation, and sepsis.
Gregor’s arrest in July 2021 on charges of child neglect followed an investigation prompted by the disturbing gym surveillance footage, which depicted the father subjecting Corey to physical trauma, as detailed in an arrest warrant.
Corey’s death was officially classified as a homicide in September 2021, with a forensic pathologist attributing it to “chronic abuse,” including blunt impact injuries to the chest and abdomen, heart laceration, pulmonary contusion, and liver damage.
Breanna Micciolo took the stand as the first witness in court on Tuesday, visibly distraught as she watched the distressing video. In the wake of her son’s tragic passing, she created a private Facebook page, “Justice for Corey,” to advocate for accountability in his case, vowing to pursue justice relentlessly.
RIP.
