During his son's critical moments at Southern Ocean County Medical Center, Christopher Gregor, 31, allegedly left the emergency room while medical staff were desperately trying to revive his son, Corey Micciolo, aged 6.
According to testimony presented at Gregor's murder trial, he exited the room where Corey was receiving treatment, leaving the boy in the care of medical professionals.
The incident occurred on April 2, 2021, when the 5-year-old's heart stopped for a second time at the medical center.
Emergency room nurse Lindsay Carnevale testified that Gregor had been in and out of the treatment room while medical personnel worked on his son.
Carnevale stated that Gregor left the room again just after 4:51 p.m. and did not return, leaving Corey in the company of medical staff during his final moments.
New Jersey Father in Trial for Son's Treadmill Death
Witness Christine Lento, an assistant Ocean County prosecutor, inquired about Corey's companionship during his critical moments.
Nurse Carnevale affirmed, "We did," indicating the medical staff as the ones who stayed with Corey. Carnevale clarified that they were the sole presence with the child until his pronouncement of death at 5:02 p.m.
Surveillance footage from the hospital depicted Gregor leaving the medical center and driving away at 5:20 p.m., as testified by Sgt. Raymond Coles of the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office.
Prior to Corey's hospitalization, a distressing video revealed an incident where Gregor compelled Corey to run on a treadmill, causing him to collapse several times.
After this traumatic event, Corey's mother, Bre Micciolo, reported his injuries to the New Jersey Division of Child Protection and Permanency, leading to his hospitalization on April 1.
On the day of Corey's arrival at Southern Ocean County Medical Center, he presented symptoms including slurred speech, breathing difficulties, and nausea. Medical professionals determined the necessity for intubation, indicating the severity of Corey's condition upon admission.
Carnevale's testimony highlighted Gregor's demeanor as emotionless during Corey's admission, noting his intermittent presence and eventual departure from the room.
During his hospitalization, Corey disclosed to medical staff that his father had compelled him to use the treadmill due to perceived weight concerns.
Tragically, Corey's condition worsened, leading to a seizure during a subsequent CT scan, resulting in his passing despite efforts by the medical team to save him.
Christopher Gregor's Sentencing
An autopsy determined Corey's death as a homicide, citing blunt force trauma to his chest and abdomen, along with lacerations and contusions to his liver and heart, indicative of chronic abuse.
The prosecution contends that Corey's demise resulted from blunt-force trauma, whereas the defense asserts that the child succumbed to sepsis.
During the trial, on April 4, 2021, Gregor used the internet to seek information, specifically inquiring about the timeframe for filing charges following a murder determination from an autopsy, as testified by Coles.
Coles, employed in the prosecutor's digital forensic laboratory, retrieved data from Gregor's cellphone, revealing the deletion of approximately 3,466 text messages exchanged between Gregor and Corey's mother, Breanna Micciolo.
The jury also heard testimony from Richard Cicerone of the state Division of Child Protection and Permanency, regarding a call placed by Gregor to the child abuse hotline on April 2, 2021, the day of Corey's passing.
During the call played in court, Gregor alleged that Corey's mother instructed him to lie to doctors about being hit by his father. Gregor also conveyed concerns about the child's exposure to individuals with criminal backgrounds during visitations with his mother, despite court orders.
Cicerone's testimony, presented with redactions, was deemed admissible by the judge for jury consideration.
Currently held in Ocean County Jail, Gregor could potentially face a sentence ranging from 30 years to life in prison without parole if convicted of murder, with an additional possibility of up to 10 years for child endangerment charges.
