Editor’s note: We generally don’t publish letters from out of our coverage area. However, this one from Canada shows how a local issue has become a global one.
On May 31 2024, Christopher Gregor (treadmill abuse dad) was found Guilty of aggravated manslaughter and child endangerment, for brutally ending the life of his innocent 6 year old biological offspring, Corey Micciolo. On August 2, 2024, Gregor will be sentenced.
The egregious circumstances surrounding this case, as well as the horrendous final outcome in the loss of life of an innocent six year old child, have caused pain and outrage throughout the world and will be permanently engraved in our collective consciousness. One only needs to consult the various messages of condolence in Corey Micciolo’s obituary or check the numerous online chat exchanges pertaining to this case, to see that the pain and outrage is expressed throughout the United States as well as from places as far as the United Kingdom, France, Australia, Switzerland, Jamaica and Canada (to name a few).
We must first keep in mind that Corey Micciolo is much more than just Christopher Gregor’s victim. He is a beautiful, smart, fun-loving little boy who enjoyed to read, was fascinated by the solar system and had a true passion for painting. Corey is deeply loved and deeply missed by his family and friends as well as by millions of people he had never met in his short life. Corey Micciolo will be in our hearts forever. His heroic courage has raised and renewed to a worldwide level, the following two important issues: our awareness of the existence of imminent danger in child abuse and the discrimination towards marginal parents in our present society. Corey’s story has brought to light the utmost importance for government child protection agencies and family court to increase their consideration of these two important issues when dealing with complaints and cases of child abuse.
As well to be considered, is the fact that Corey Micciolo represents our current society’s children. Thus, it is imperative that Corey’s voice be heard loud and clear by sentencing guilty offenders of child abuse and child homicides to the maximum extent of the particular state’s law. Christopher Gregor deserves to be sentenced to the maximum penalty for each of the offences that he has been found guilty of: 10 years for Endangering the Welfare of a Child and 30 years for Aggravated Manslaughter, served consecutively with no possibility of early release. If Christopher Gregor serves 40 years in prison, upon his release, his victim Corey Micciolo’s age would be less than 50 years old, which is still decades below the life expectancy for a white male in the United States (74.8 years mortality in the United States, 2022, U.S. Center for Disease Control).
Last but certainly not least, is that Christopher Gregor appears to need intensive rehabilitation, as his abusive behavior was only emboldened by the ineffective involvement of the New Jersey Division of Child Protection and Permanency. Christopher Gregor’s emboldened and long term abusive behavior towards a helpless, innocent 6-year-old child to death, his apparent lack of remorse throughout the trial and his apparent refusal to take responsibility for his horrendous actions, appear to be the behaviors of an individual who poses a serious threat to society and again, who needs intensive rehabilitation.
In conclusion, the circumstances and final outcome of this case warrant the law to be applied to its fullest extent in sentencing. The world is watching to see how justice will hold accountable a man who consciously, cruelly and repeatedly abused his helpless, innocent 6-year-old offspring, to death.
Let justice be heard for innocent 6-year-old Corey Micciolo.
Maximum sentence for Christopher Gregor.
M. Beneteau
Canada
