New Jersey Father Sentenced to 25 Years for Son’s Treadmill Death

The New Jersey father convicted of killing his 6-year-old son by forcing him to run and fall off a treadmill has been sentenced to 25 years in prison. On Friday, Aug. 2, Ocean County Judge Guy P. Ryan handed down the sentence to Christopher Gregor, including 20 years for aggravated manslaughter and five years for endangering the welfare of a child. This sentencing comes more than three years after the tragic death of his son, Corey Micciolo, according to the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office and reports from the Asbury Park Press and Law & Crime.

Initially, Gregor faced only child endangerment charges following Corey’s death on April 2, 2021. However, the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office announced in March 2022 that he would be charged with murder, a charge later amended to aggravated manslaughter. Judge Ryan ordered the sentences to run consecutively, citing that the aggravated manslaughter was distinct from the earlier act of child endangerment.

During the sentencing, Corey’s mother, Breanna Micciolo, delivered a powerful victim impact statement, calling Gregor a “monster.” She tearfully stated, “Corey was and still is my life, my world, and my everything. What this monster did was pathetic, and disgusting, and I wish him nothing but the worst.”

In contrast, Gregor maintained his innocence, asserting before his sentence was read: “I want to assure you, on April 2, I did nothing to cause Corey’s passing. … I did not hurt my son.”

Throughout the six-week trial, jurors reviewed footage from the Atlantic Heights Clubhouse, dating back to March 20, 2021. The video showed Corey running on a treadmill while Gregor increased the speed, causing the boy to stumble and fall. Each time Corey fell, Gregor put him back on the treadmill and increased the speed again. Disturbingly, the footage also appeared to show Gregor biting Corey on the head, per Court TV.

Days after the incident, Corey visited a doctor, telling them his father made him run on the treadmill because he was “too fat,” according to The New York Post. Just a day later, Corey was hospitalized with symptoms including stumbling, slurred speech, nausea, and trouble breathing. He had a seizure during a CT scan and died. The Ocean County Medical Examiner’s Office later determined Corey had sustained injuries due to blunt force trauma.

Initially charged with child endangerment on July 7, 2021, Gregor faced an additional manslaughter charge in March 2022 after an expert witness indicated Corey died from “blunt force impact of the chest and abdomen,” ruling the death a homicide. Prosecutors argued that Gregor inflicted these injuries as punishment because Breanna had been late bringing Corey home.

Gregor’s defense team challenged these claims, bringing in a forensic pathologist who suggested that CPR performed in the emergency room might have caused the trauma. However, Gregor was found guilty of aggravated manslaughter on May 31.

Under the No Early Release Act, Gregor will be required to serve at least 85 percent of his sentence before being considered for parole. Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer stated, “Christopher Gregor will spend the rest of his days here on earth knowing that he caused the death of his son Corey. While nothing can bring this precious child back to his family, I hope that today’s sentence brings some sense of closure to those who knew and loved Corey. At long last, justice for Corey has been accomplished.”

If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.