A NEW JERSEY father has been charged with murder in connection with his son’s death after allegedly forcing the six-year-old to run on a treadmill because he was “too fat.”

After Corey Micciolo died in April 2021, Christopher J. Gregor, 29, was initially charged with endangering the welfare of a child. He is now facing first-degree murder charges in his son’s death.

According to nj.com, Micciolo allegedly suffered multiple injuries while in the care of his father.

Some of the injuries were documented on video. On March 20, 2021, just days before Micciolo’s death, one such incident occurred.

While the boy was with Gregor, the incident occurred at the Atlantic Heights apartments in Barnegat Township, New Jersey.

According to prosecutors, Micciolo was forced to run on a treadmill while Gregor increased the speed of the machine.

Micciolo was unable to keep up with the treadmill’s speed and fell several times. Each time, Gregor would pick up the boy and place him back on the machine. Gregor was also seen biting the back of Micciolo’s head.

The incident was captured on surveillance video at the complex’s fitness centre.

Breanna Micciolo, the boy’s mother, allegedly shared joint custody of the young boy with Gregor.

She informed a caseworker with the New Jersey Division of Child Protection and Permanency about the boy’s injuries.

On April 1, at the urging of the caseworker, Micciolo took the boy to the doctor.

The young boy revealed that Gregor had instructed him to run on the treadmill “because he was too fat.”

Micciolo passed away the next day.

On Friday, July 9, 2021, Gregor surrendered to authorities. However, he allegedly denied abusing the child.

The Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office revealed in a press statement on Wednesday, following the announcement of the new murder charges against Gregor, that Micciolo’s autopsy revealed he was the victim of blunt force trauma.

Breanna Micciolo founded the Justice For Corey Facebook group in the aftermath of her son’s death.

The group’s description is as follows: “I founded this organisation to seek justice for my son, Corey Micciolo. He was only six years old when his life was taken away by someone who was supposed to care for and love him. His paternal grandfather. We’ve got an army here, and we’re not going to stop fighting until justice is served.”

More than 18,000 people are members of the private group.