An Indiana man who once claimed that his son's injuries were self-inflicted has now pleaded guilty to murder.
Franklin Elmore, Jr., 29, of Elkhart pleaded guilty in October to murdering his 6-year-old son, PEOPLE reported. Justin was found unresponsive in August and Elmore originally told investigators that the boy had "hit himself," according to prosecutors.
Prosecutors had noted that staff at Elkhart General Hospital did not believe Justin's injuries, which included a traumatic brain injury and a punctured lung, were self-inflicted. Prosecutors also said that Justin had previously been disciplined "by forcing him to engage in lengthy physical exercise" and that he would be hit with a "belt or a hand."
At the hearing where Elmore plead guilty he was asked by his attorney, "Did you knowingly kill another human being, Victim 1?" Elmore said, "Yes sir," according to WNDU.
The attorney also asked, "Do you acknowledge you physically beat your son and he died," to which he answered, "I did not mean it." He also acknowledged at the hearing that his discipline was beyond the scope of normal parenting, according to the station.
Elmore faces sentencing on Nov. 25.
