Cledir Barros retrial: Father testifies again in child cruelty case

GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. - The Gwinnett County father accused of child cruelty in the death of his 8-year-old daughter is taking the stand for a second time in a courtroom on Monday afternoon. 

Cledir Barros testified for about an hour and a half. This is the retrial of his case. He took the stand in his first trial about two weeks ago. That's when a judge declared a mistrial when the jury could not reach a unanimous verdict. 

Barros is accused of child cruelty in the death of his daughter Sayra. His wife, Sayra's stepmother, Natiela Barros, is accused of beating her to death with a rolling pin. 

"It was a shock to me because I never think a person could grab something that big to strike a child with," Barros said. 

READ PREVIOUS: Testimony continues in father accused of child cruelty in daughter's death

Barros said he worked as a truck driver and was not home for the majority of a week. 

He also defended his decision to homeschool Sayra when his wife told him she was getting in trouble at school. 

"To me, in my mind, putting her at home where none of this happened was a solution because I've never witnessed such at home," Barros said. 

Before Barros took the stand, prosecutors brought up the main detective on his case who interviewed Barros right after Sayra was found. Barros told her he was not home when Sayra was killed and that Natiela threatened to commit suicide, which is why he stayed on the phone with her rather than call 911. 

"He also said that he didn't call 911 because he was concerned about his wife doing something worse. That caught my attention because committing your wife committing suicide to me is know you're saying it's worse than your child being dead," Gwinnett County Police Detective Angela Carter explained. 

Closing arguments are expected to begin Tuesday morning.