A father in New Jersey is on trial for the murder of his son, Corey Micciolo, who died days after being forced to run at high speeds on a treadmill. Testimony from the trial revealed that the father, Christopher Gregor, callously left the emergency room while medics were trying to revive Corey, leaving the young boy to die in the company of strangers rather than family members. Nurses testified that Gregor was emotionless when he brought Corey to the hospital and left him alone for periods before finally walking out of the room while his son was struggling for his life.
Corey had woken up on April 2, 2021, with slurred speech, trouble breathing, and nausea, which prompted his father to bring him to the hospital. Doctors determined the child needed to be intubated to help him breathe. The nurses testified that Gregor showed little emotion during this time and left the hospital shortly after Corey was brought in. Corey was pronounced dead at 5:02 p.m., and surveillance footage showed Gregor driving away less than 20 minutes later, leaving behind his deceased son.
Prior to Corey’s tragic death, less than a week earlier, Gregor had forced him to run on a treadmill at a local gym, turning up the speed until the boy fell to the ground. Disturbing video footage showed Gregor repeatedly picking Corey back up and forcing him to run again until he fell multiple times. Corey’s mother reported the injuries he sustained during this incident to the New Jersey Division of Child Protection and Permanency, leading to Corey being taken to the hospital on April 1.
During the visit to the hospital on April 1, Corey told doctors that his father had forced him to run on the treadmill because he thought he was too fat. The next day, Corey was brought back to the hospital after waking up with frightening symptoms and ultimately suffered a seizure during a CT scan, dying as medical staff tried to save him. An autopsy later ruled Corey’s death a homicide, showing that he had suffered blunt force trauma to his chest and abdomen, as well as lacerations and contusions to his liver and heart, indicating chronic abuse.
Christopher Gregor, the father, now faces 30 years to life in prison if he is convicted of murder in the death of his son Corey. The trial has brought to light the disturbing events that led to Corey’s untimely death, including the physical abuse he endured at the hands of his father. The prosecution has presented evidence showing the extent of Corey’s injuries and the timeline of events leading up to his death. As the trial continues, more details will likely emerge about the tragic circumstances surrounding Corey Micciolo’s death and the actions of Christopher Gregor. The case serves as a tragic reminder of the consequences of child abuse and neglect.
