Murder Trial Of Barnegat Dad Accused Of Abusing Son, 6, Starts

TOMS RIVER, NJ — The murder trial of a Barnegat father charged in the death of his six-year-old son kicked off this week with lawyers arguing about what the boy's cause of death was.

Christopher Gregor, 31, was caring for his son, Corey Micciolo, at the time of his death in April 2021, officials previously said. Ocean County prosecutors say that Micciolo's cause of death was blunt force trauma, but Gregor's attorney Mario Gallucci is disputing that, according to a report by the Associated Press.

Gregor forced Micciolo to run on a treadmill on March 20, 2021 - which prosecutors say caused the blunt force trauma that killed him. Patch previously reported that tape of the incident shows Gregor putting his son on the treadmill and adjusting the speed, according to an affidavit. When the boy falls off the treadmill, Gregor picks him up by the shirt and forces him to keep running multiple times.

Tape of this incident was shown to the jury, and Gallucci acknowledged that it would "horrify" them, but said it had nothing to do with the child's death, according to the Associated Press. Instead, Gallucci said that he died from sepsis due to pneumonia, and that the bruises found all over his body were from the treadmill and playing football.

The boy also had lacerations to his heart and liver, according to Dr. Thomas Andrew, a forensic pathologist who was chief medical examiner for the state of New Hampshire for 20 years. Andrew also noted that an acute traumatic injury to the heart happened four to 12 hours before the boy's death, and that there was evidence of chronic abuse.

There was a history of abuse allegations between Gregor and the boy's mom, Breanna Micciolo, preceding his death, Patch previously reported. She has repeatedly accused the state of failing to protect her son. A lawsuit filed against the New Jersey Division of Child Protection and Permanency by Breanna says that she had reported her son's abuse by his father multiple times, but they failed to properly protect him.

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

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.

The trial will continue next Tuesday.

Further Reading

Ongoing Abuse Preceded NJ 6-Year-Old's Death: Affidavit

Father Of Slain NJ Boy, 6, Fled State After His Death: Affidavit

Trial Set For Dad Charged With Murder Of Barnegat Son