Barnegat Dad Guilty Of Killing 6-Year-Old Son, Jury Rules

OCEAN COUNTY, NJ — A Barnegat father was found guilty of aggravated manslaughter Friday in connection with the 2021 death of his 6-year-old son, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer announced.

Christopher Gregor, 32, was convicted following a six-week trial during which a jury determined Gregor "recklessly" caused the death of his son, Corey Micciolo. He was also found guilty of endangering the welfare of a child, prosecutors said.

On April 2, 2021, Stafford Township police officers were called to Southern Ocean Medical Center following Micciolo's death. An autopsy revealed Micciolo suffered blunt force trauma injuries before his death.

Prosecutors said Gregor forced Micciolo to run on a treadmill on March 20, 2021, which caused the blunt force trauma that killed him. Patch previously reported that a video of the incident showed Gregor placing his son on the treadmill and adjusting the speed, according to an affidavit. When the boy fell off the treadmill, Gregor picked him up by the shirt and forced him to keep running multiple times.

The boy also had lacerations to his heart and liver and suffered an acute traumatic injury to the heart four to 12 hours before the boy's death, experts testified during Gregor's trial. There was evidence the child also suffered chronic abuse.

Before his death, there was a history of abuse allegations between Gregor and the boy's mom, Breanna Micciolo, Patch previously reported. Breanna Micciolo has repeatedly accused the state of failing to protect her son and a lawsuit filed against the New Jersey Division of Child Protection and Permanency by Breanna Micciolo claims she reported her son's abuse by his father multiple times.

Gregor called the Division of Child Protection and Permanency hotline the morning of the boy's death, according to the Asbury Park Press, and claimed his son told him his mom made him lie about being abused. Gregor also said the boy's mother made several false abuse allegations against him, the report said.

Between the two parents, 14 reports were made to the New Jersey Division of Child Permanency and Protection about harm to their son, according to an affidavit.

Gregor was arrested and charged nearly a year after the boy's death. He has remained in Ocean County Jail since his arrest.

Gregor's sentencing is scheduled for Aug. 2. He faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison.