A newly released surveillance video has captured the harrowing moment a father forced his 6-year-old son to run on a treadmill, allegedly leading to the boy’s tragic death just hours later.
The video, obtained by Court TV, shows 31-year-old Christopher Gregor forcing his son, Corey Micciolo, to run on a treadmill at an Atlantic Heights fitness center in Barnegat, New Jersey on March 20, 2021. Gregor is accused of making the young boy run faster and increasing the incline, despite Micciolo struggling to keep up.
In the footage, Micciolo’s legs can be seen buckling as he falls to the floor, unable to continue. Gregor then allegedly picks up his son and forces him back onto the treadmill, even biting the top of his head at one point.
Micciolo’s mother, Bre Micciolo, broke down in tears as she watched the disturbing video during the trial, which began on Tuesday at Superior Court in Ocean City. She had previously reported her son’s injuries to the New Jersey Division of Child Protection and Permanency just days before his death.
According to the court, Micciolo told a case worker during a doctor’s appointment on April 1, 2021, that his father made him run on the treadmill because he was “too fat.” The following day, the 6-year-old was pronounced dead.
An initial autopsy revealed that Micciolo died from blunt force injuries, including cardiac and liver contusions, acute inflammation, and sepsis. Forensic pathologist Dr. Thomas Andrew ruled the boy’s death a homicide, stating that he suffered an acute traumatic injury to the heart four to 12 hours before his passing.
Gregor was arrested months later, on July 7, 2021, on child neglect charges after investigators reviewed the gym footage. He was later charged with his son’s murder on March 9, 2022, and is currently being held in Ocean City Jail without bond.
This tragic case has shed light on the devastating consequences of child abuse and the importance of vigilance in protecting vulnerable children.
