An Alabama soldier pleaded guilty Monday to manslaughter in the 2020 death of his girlfriend’s 5-year-old son.

Sgt. Bryan Starr, who was stationed in Columbus, Georgia but lived with his girlfriend in southeast Alabama at the time of the November 2020 incident, forced 5-year-old Austin Birdsey out of a vehicle in Russell County after the boy complained about wanting a new family, prosecutors said, according to WRBL.

Starr made the boy exit the vehicle in a church parking lot and told him he could find a new family there, prosecutors alleged.

Austin was then struck and killed by another vehicle.

Starr was facing reckless murder charges but pleaded guilty Monday to manslaughter in a Russell County courtroom, according to WRBL.

Under the agreement, Starr, who is in the process of retiring faces a five-year sentence. It will be up to a judge to decide whether all of the term will be served in prison or a portion will be probation.

His sentencing is scheduled for September.