Joe Clyde Daniels Beaten To Death By Father: Police

CHARLOTTE, TN -- Joe Daniels repeatedly and viciously beat his 5-year-old son until he died, according to an affidavit released Monday detailing the death of the boy who was the subject of a days-long search in Dickson County.

Joseph Ray Daniels was arrested Saturday, charged with killing 5-year-old Joe Clyde Daniels, hiding his body and then reporting the boy missing, leading to a massive search in the rural county northwest of Nashville.

In an affidavit, a detective writes the elder Daniels "struck the boy in the body, upper torso, head, and face with closed fist until his son was deceased" at the family home.

"Daniels then placed the body of his son in the trunk of his car and disposed of the body in a remote, rural area," the affidavit says.

Daniels reportedly confessed to killing his son, but the search for the body of Joe Clyde continues.

Joe Clyde was reported missing by his parents on Wednesday morning. A hundreds of volunteers searched along with law enforcement officials for the boy, who was autistic and non-verbal. The search spanned three days.

Joe Daniels is in the Dickson County Jail on suicide watch, held on $1 million bail.

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Photo via Dickson County Sheriff