‘He needs to toughen up,’ chilling texts ‘killer’ dad sent after he made son run on treadmill revealed in murder trial
CHILLING texts sent by a father who is on trial for murdering his six-year-old son have been revealed in front of a shocked court.
Christopher J. Gregor sent troubling messages to the child’s mother telling her the boy needs to “be a little tougher” – less than two weeks before Corey Micciolo died due to his father’s alleged abuse.
Mr Gregor, 31, has been accused of forcing Corey to run on a treadmill despite the machine being too fast and clearly dangerous for the young boy.
Heartbreaking security footage shows the custodial father and son in a gym, back in 2021, on a running machine.
Corey fell off the fast paced treadmill six times and was picked up by his shirt and placed back on it by Gregor every time despite the heavy falls.
The court heard the reason Mr Gregor made Corey run was because he felt he was “too fat”.
Just 13 days after the treadmill horror, Corey was taken to a hospital after throwing up constantly.
He was pronounced dead hours later.
Corey’s death was ruled as a homicide due to chronic child abuse as Mr Gregor was detained on murder and child endangerment charges.
The father and his team claim Corey died of pneumonia unrelated to any form of abuse.
The current court case against Mr Gregor has drawn public outrage after the CCTV footage was released, earlier this week.
The latest revelation made in court is expected to draw similar anger after Breanna Micciolo – Corey’s mother – testified at the trial.
She showed several text messages to the court after calling out her ex-partner on the cuts and bruises Corey had developed since being with Mr Gregor.
It is unclear when the alleged texts were sent.
Micciolo wrote in one of the messages: “I just wanted to let you know that Corey came upstairs upset and almost crying.”
It was alleged that Mr Gregor “smacked a ball” out of Corey’s hand in the incident.
Mr Gregor is believed to have replied admitting he smacked the ball but said it was a “joke”.
The 31-year-old suspect then said: “Maybe he needs to be a little tougher.”
He then said Corey was being “overemotional”.
Micciolo responded by saying: “He’s not emotional you hurt his feelings he got upset he’s six years old..”
Corey had only known Mr Gregor for around a year but did share custody with Micciolo.
But the alleged abuse started from their very first meeting, it has been claimed.
Corey is said to have returned home to his mother with a “busted lip” reports Jersey Shore Online.
The reason given for the damaged mouth was Gregor accidentally kicked their son while playing football.
A caseworker reportedly accepted it despite Micciolo’s concerns.
The heartbroken mother also told the court she felt Corey was routinely abused by Gregor.
She even made sensational claims that the treadmill was used as a regular punishment.
THE FATAL ORDEAL
Micciolo was the first witness to take the stand in the bombshell trial and among the text revelations she also claims she noticed the bruises on Corey’s body.
She testified in court that she panicked for his health after seeing the signs of alleged abuse.
She said: “He had a bruise on his forehead.
“It was very odd-shaped. It looked like an impression. He had one on his chest. It looked like a scrape.”
She took the boy to a pediatrician, who didn’t find anything alarming with him.
But Corey told the doctor that his father made him run on the treadmill “because he was too fat.”
On April 2, 2021, Corey began slurring his words after waking up from a nap and was stumbling around and feeling nauseous.
After being rushed to the hospital, he was pronounced dead hours later.
All the claims made so far in court...
A MOTHER’S TESTIMONY
Corey’s mother, Breanna Micciolo, noticed bruises on the boy’s body allegedly from the treadmill incident, according to her testimony.
Corey allegedly told doctors he was made to run on the treadmill “because he was too fat”, according to Gregor.
Texts were shown in court of Gregor telling Breanna that her son needs to “be a little tougher”.
The heartbroken mother also said she felt Corey was routinely abused by Gregor.
She even made sensational claims that the treadmill was used as a regular punishment.
CAUSE OF DEATH
Dr. Dante Ragusa, an Ocean County medical examiner, performed an autopsy and concluded that the cause of death was due to blunt force injuries, along with cardiac and liver contusions, acute inflammation, and sepsis.
About six months after Corey’s death, Dr. Thomas Andrew, a consulting forensic pathologist reviewed the case and determined it was homicide.
There was also evidence that led him to believe Corey was chronically abused.
Gregor’s lawyer Mario Gallucci claims Corey’s death was due to a sepsis infection and not bruising.
An autopsy was performed on April 3 by Dr. Dante Ragusa, an Ocean County medical examiner.
Dr. Ragusa concluded that Corey died from blunt force injuries with cardiac and liver contusions, acute inflammation, and sepsis, according to Court TV.
Three months later, Gregor was arrested on charges of child neglect after the video was reviewed.
Corey’s death was ruled as a homicide in September 2021 by a forensic pathologist, who said he faced chronic child abuse, including blunt force injuries to his chest and stomach and a laceration to his heart.
The defendant’s lawyer, Mario Gallucci, addressed jurors during the trial’s opening statements and said abuse did not play a factor in Corey’s death at all.
Gallucci said: “When you see that video, you’re going to be horrified.
“You’re going to be mortified. Corey’s death had absolutely nothing to do with that treadmill.”
Gallucci told the jury that defence experts will testify Corey died as a result of sepsis caused by a bout of pneumonia.
