The man accused of killing his son by forcing the six-year-old into a bruising treadmill workout has claimed that it was pneumonia, and not the gym session, that killed the boy. According to New York Post, Christopher Gregor's lawyer said during a court hearing that treadmill running "has nothing to do" with the death of Corey Micciolo. The incident took place in March 2021 and Gregor, 31, was arrested three months later. He is being held in the Ocean City Jail without bond.
The case gained significant attention after a disturbing video was presented in the court in Ocean County that showed Gregor forcing the six-year-old boy to run on a treadmill at high speed and incline at the Atlantic Heights Clubhouse fitness centre, allegedly because he thought his son was "too fat".
Gregor increased the speed and incline in treadmill settings until the boy flew off. In the surveillance video, he is seen picking the boy up and putting him back on the treadmill, but Corey falls again and continues to struggle until his father lowers the speed and gives the boy a break.
On Thursday, Gregor's lawyer told the court, "When you see that video, you're going to be horrified. You're going to be mortified."
"(But) Corey's death had absolutely nothing to do with that treadmill," the Post further quoted the lawyer as saying.
The prosecutors, however, disagreed with the argument and said it was his father's chronic abuse that left Corey with internal injuries that ultimately cost him his life.
The boy's mother Breanna Micciolo also took to the witness stand and said she noticed bruises on her son. "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 told the jury.
Ms Micciolo was already in a custody battle with Gregor because she feared for her son's life.
Murder charge was formally slapped on Gregor in March 2022 and the trial began.
