A man from New Jersey, Christopher Gregor, was charged with murder for abusing his six-year-old son including forcing him to run on the treadmill.
The son, Corey Micciolo, died on April 2, sustaining injuries due to blunt force trauma, the Ocean Country Medical Examiner's Office said. Gregor was initially charged with endangering the welfare of a child, but the charges were eventually upgraded to murder.
Abused by his father
Bre Micciolo, the mom, said that her son hated going to his dad's house. Her son would scream and hide in closets to evade going to his father's house, and the mom did not understand why, as per Mama's Uncut.
The mom admitted that it was not until Corey came back one day with bruises that she understood why her son dreaded visiting his father. The father would bite the boy and put him on the treadmill while calling the boy fat.
Investigators cite unreleased video footage in an affidavit of probable cause showing Gregor and Corey at a local fitness center called Atlantic Heights Clubhouse on March 20. The boy was running on a treadmill when his father approached the machine and increased the speed.
According to Daily Voice, the treadmill was going too fast, and Corey could not keep up, so he fell and hit his chest. The mom said she only learned about the incident until it was too late. His father would make Corey get back on six times. On his last fall, the father picked the boy up by the back of his shirt, put him back on, and then bit his head.
Days after, the mom saw the son's injuries and reported them to a caseworker with the New Jersey Division of Child Protection and Permanency.
On April 2, the mom brought Corey to a doctor, where he died. He told his mom that his father forced him into the treadmill because "he was too fat."
Miccioloa also said that the father verbally and physically abused the boy before he died on April 2. Authorities said that an investigation remains active and more charges are likely to be charged against the father.
Prosecutor Billhimer announced the upgraded charges, where he thanked the law enforcement officers involved in 'this very thorough and comprehensive investigation over the past 11 months.'
Gregor is being held at the Ocean County Jail in Toms River, where he will remain after the detention hearings.
No one in authority was helpful
Micciolo said that she made many reports about the abuse over the past two years. However, she said that "no one in authority was helpful.". As the investigation is ongoing and there are confidentiality laws to comply with, authorities cannot confirm details.
The mom said that before April 1, the judge denied a request to allow her to have temporary full custody pending a child protection services investigation outcome.
The Daily Mail reports that after her son's death, Micciolo created a private Facebook page called Justice for Corey to raise awareness for her son's case. On July 30, 2021, a rally, "Justice for Corey." The mom got outpouring support from the local and international community. Micciolo said that the public pressure got the law enforcement's attention.
