"I threw him in the garbage"; murder trial deliberations begin Sunday

(WMC) - Maurice Brown Sr., the man accused of murdering his own son, took the witness stand Saturday saying he didn't kill the 3-year-old, but admitted he did put the child's body in a dumpster.

"I messed up. I didn't kill my son. I just messed up," said the father. "I tried to bring him back and like, he wouldn't do it."

Brown testified he'd gotten upset with his son for splashing bath water all over the floor. That's when he says he started whipping him and chasing him around their house.

Brown says he discovered his son was not breathing when he put him to bed after beating him with a belt. He said he tried to take his son to the hospital but when he got into his car, it would not start.

"I knew I had just slapped him and the knot on his head got bigger and I was doing CPR. When asked what he did next Brown replied, "I threw him in the garbage, threw him in the garbage can."

At one point during the trial, prosecutor Jennifer Nichols asked the accused father to demonstrate how he had chased his son around the house, whipping him with a belt.

"From the time he was running I was swinging, like that. I was like you can run all you want to."

Brown told prosecutors after putting his little boy in the dumpster, all he could think about was his mother and other members of his family.

Prosecution: "You were shocked that you killed your child?
Brown: "I didn't kill my son."
Prosecution: You didn't?"
Brown: "No ma'am."
Prosecution: "Then what are you shocked about?"
Brown: The incident that just happened.
Prosecution: "No sir, incidents don't just happen."

Shortly before 5:30 p.m. Saturday evening, closing arguments ended. Deliberations are set to begin at 8:30 a.m. Sunday.

Click here to follow live updates Sunday.