The man told investigators he poured hot water down his son's throat and held him under water because the child had been acting "demonic."

TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — Federal authorities say a Tucson man is facing a first-degree murder charge after his 6-year-old son died during an attempted exorcism.

Pablo Martinez told investigators he poured hot water down the child's throat on Sept. 26 and held him under water for up to 10 minutes at the family's home on the Pascua Yaqui reservation.

The 31-year-old Martinez says his son had been acting demonic.

While giving the boy a bath, Martinez says he saw something evil inside his son and knew he had to cast it out.

Martinez held the child under the faucet and claimed the hot water began casting the demon out.

The boy was taken to a hospital and pronounced dead with burns over 15 percent of his body.