A New Jersey father, Christopher Gregor, stands trial accused of abusing his six-year-old son, Corey Micciolo, to death in 2021. Gregor, 31, a former crisis hotline worker and nursing home carer, allegedly subjected his son to months of abuse before the child succumbed to blunt force trauma injuries.
Background and Alleged Abuse
Prosecutors claim Gregor forced Corey to run on a treadmill as a form of punishment, leading to the boy’s death. Gregor, who met Corey for the first time just a year before his death, reportedly used exercise and harsh physical punishment as forms of discipline. The child’s mother, Breanna Micciolo, testified in court this week, breaking down in tears as she detailed the abuse Corey allegedly suffered.
Upon returning home from his first meeting with Gregor, Corey had a “busted lip.” Gregor claimed he accidentally kicked the boy while playing soccer, an excuse accepted by a caseworker who failed to investigate further.
Micciolo shared archived text messages in which Gregor responded callously to her concerns about his treatment of their son. After she told him he had hurt Corey’s feelings, Gregor responded, “Maybe he needs to be a little tougher because that’s soft tissue.”
In another exchange, Gregor brushed off Micciolo’s concern that he made Corey cry. “Well, that’s a lie,” he said. “I smacked the ball out of his hand and he didn’t say a word to me. I did it as a joke and said bye.” Gregor further added, “If hitting the ball out of the six-year-old’s hand makes him cry, maybe he needs to be a little tougher.”
Documentation of Injuries and Abuse
Micciolo created a Facebook group called “Justice for Corey” after her son’s death in April 2021. She shared disturbing images of Corey’s injuries, which included bruises, scratches, and black eyes. Despite her repeated reports to child protective services, her concerns were dismissed. Micciolo was embroiled in a bitter custody battle with Gregor at the time of Corey’s death.
One incident of abuse, captured on gym surveillance footage, showed Gregor forcing Corey to run on a treadmill. Corey repeatedly fell off the machine, only for Gregor to place him back on it. Gregor even appeared to bite Corey on the back of his head during the ordeal. Despite his attorney Mario Gallucci admitting that the footage would “horrify” the jury, he argued it was unrelated to Corey’s death.
Trial Proceedings and Forensic Evidence
Corey died hours after Micciolo dropped him off at Gregor’s home on April 2, 2021. The initial autopsy revealed he died from blunt force injuries across his body, along with cardiac and liver contusions, inflammation, and sepsis. Gregor’s attorney claimed Corey died from pneumonia, but a forensic pathologist ruled his death a homicide due to chronic abuse.
The pathologist found blunt force injuries to Corey’s abdomen and chest, along with a laceration to his heart. Additionally, the boy suffered liver and cardiac contusions with inflammation and sepsis.
Court Testimony and Reactions
Micciolo was the first witness to testify in the trial, sharing her emotional account of the alleged abuse Corey endured. She noted that after returning from visits with Gregor, Corey often had bruises, cuts, and other injuries. She recalled that after one gym visit, he had a “bruise on his forehead, it was very odd-shaped, it looked like an impression.”
Despite warning authorities in July 2020 that Corey would come home from Gregor’s with injuries, child protective services failed to intervene effectively. Gregor was initially charged with child neglect but was later charged with murder nearly a year after Corey’s death.
The trial continues as prosecutors seek to prove that Gregor systematically abused his son, leading to his untimely death. Meanwhile, the community demands justice for Corey, whose tragic death has sparked outrage and calls for reform in child protective services.