"Have to Lose Weight, So Run Faster"... Heartless Father Who Caused Death of 6-Year-Old Son in the US

Experts: "Child's Cause of Death is Chest and Abdominal Trauma"
Father's Side Claims "Son Died from Pneumonia"

In the United States, a 6-year-old boy died after his father forced him to run on a treadmill because he was considered "fat." On the 1st (local time), foreign media including the New York Post reported on a case currently on trial, in which Christopher Gregor (31) was charged with murder for an incident that occurred on March 20, 2021, in New Jersey. Gregor is accused of causing the death of his son, Cory Michiolo (6). Gregor, who was arrested in 2022, is currently incarcerated and continues to deny the charges against him.

On the 30th of last month, CCTV footage from a gym showing Gregor abusing his son Michiolo was publicly revealed in court for the first time. The video shows Gregor adjusting the treadmill to a speed so fast that a 6-year-old child could barely run, then forcing Michiolo to run. Despite the child falling multiple times due to the excessive speed, the footage captures instances of child abuse, including Gregor forcibly lifting his son back onto the treadmill and biting his head.
[Photo by New York Post]

During the trial, Gregor's defense claimed, "The son died of pneumonia." However, Cory's mother testified in court that "there were bruises on my son's body." The autopsy results also indicated that the death was due to child abuse.

Meanwhile, on the 30th of last month, CCTV footage from the gym showing Gregor abusing his son Michiolo was publicly released for the first time in court. The video shows Gregor setting the treadmill to a speed that was difficult for the 6-year-old to run at and forcing Michiolo to run. Despite the child falling multiple times due to the excessive speed, Gregor was seen forcibly lifting him back onto the treadmill and even biting his head, indicating clear child abuse.

Most notably, ten days before the death, the child was visited by child protection services following a report from his mother. The child told a doctor that Gregor forced him to run on the treadmill because he was "fat." However, the day after the agency visit, Michiolo was transported to the hospital complaining of breathing difficulties and nausea, and ultimately passed away. The autopsy concluded that the cause of death was child abuse, including blunt force trauma to the chest and abdomen. At the time, a pathology expert estimated that the child had sustained cardiac trauma 4 to 12 hours before death.

82.7% of All Child Abuse Cases Involve Parents

According to the statistics in the "2022 Annual Report on Child Abuse" published by the Ministry of Health and Welfare, 81.3% of child abuse cases in Korea occurred within the home. In particular, 82.7% of the perpetrators were parents.
[Photo by Kim Dahee, Asia Economy]

According to statistics from the "2022 Child Abuse Annual Report" published by the Ministry of Health and Welfare, 81.3% of child abuse cases in Korea occur within the home. In particular, 82.7% of the perpetrators are parents. The National Assembly has strengthened punishments through the enactment and enforcement of the Special Act on the Punishment of Child Abuse Crimes (hereinafter referred to as the Child Abuse Punishment Act) and has promoted various policies such as child abuse prevention campaigns, but child abuse incidents continue to recur. As a result, some voices call for even stricter punishments for child abuse.

Meanwhile, compared to Korea, child crimes are punished more severely overseas. In some countries, even if the death of a child occurs unintentionally due to abuse, offenders can be sentenced to 30 years in prison, and parents who commit child abuse may face aggravated penalties.

Sweden, which was the first country in the world to implement the "Ban on Corporal Punishment in the Home" law in 1979, allows for penalties of up to 10 years in prison even if serious injury or death does not occur from child abuse. The United Kingdom also imposes up to 10 years in prison for intentional child violence, abuse, neglect, or psychological abuse. In the United States, child abuse and neglect are punishable under state criminal laws. In Virginia, parents who cause serious injury to a child face imprisonment from 2 to 10 years and fines up to $100,000 (approximately 100 million KRW), and parental custody rights are also restricted. In the U.S., 26 states have laws that classify child homicide as an aggravating factor in murder charges, increasing penalties if the victim is a child below a certain age.