Christopher Gregor, 31, is facing murder charges for the death of his son Corey Micciolo in 2021. The prosecution alleges that Gregor’s abusive gym session led to the child’s fatal injuries, while the defense argues it was pneumonia.
During the trial at Superior Court in Ocean County, Gregor’s lawyer, Mario Gallucci, emphasized that Corey’s death was unrelated to the treadmill incident captured on video. Gallucci warned jurors of the disturbing footage but maintained Gregor’s innocence regarding his son’s demise.
Prosecutors, however, contend that Gregor’s chronic abuse caused internal injuries, leading to Corey’s death two weeks after the harrowing workout session. Surveillance footage from the Atlantic Heights Clubhouse fitness center purportedly shows Gregor pushing his son to the point of exhaustion on March 20, 2021, allegedly because he believed Corey was overweight.
Corey’s mother, Breanna Micciolo, testified that she noticed bruises on her son following the workout. Despite consulting a pediatrician, who found no immediate cause for alarm, Corey divulged that his father had made him exercise excessively due to concerns about his weight.
Tragically, Corey’s health deteriorated rapidly after the treadmill incident. On April 2, 2021, he exhibited symptoms of slurred speech, nausea, and instability, prompting his father to rush him to the hospital. Corey was pronounced dead upon arrival.
Gregor was initially arrested on child neglect charges three months later, following the emergence of the incriminating video. Subsequently, a forensic pathologist concluded that Corey’s death resulted from chronic child abuse, including blunt force injuries and a heart laceration.
In March 2022, Gregor was arrested on murder charges in connection with Corey’s death. During cross-examination, Breanna Micciolo acknowledged her involvement in vandalism directed at Gregor’s parents’ home after her son’s passing.