Missing six-year-old Etan Patz, whose face was on thousands of American milk cartons in the 1980s, was strangled and thrown into a bin, according to the man who has admitted responsibility for his murder.

Pedro Hernandez, 51, was arrested last week in New York after telling police that he was the one who abducted Etan while he was on his way to catch the school bus 33 years ago.

Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said Hernandez was arrested after a tip-off was received from a relative.

Hernandez reportedly told police he had offered to buy Etan a soda, luring him to his basement where he strangled him and hid his body in a walk-in freezer.

Hernandez is currently on suicide watch at Bellevue Hospital in the city. He is believed to be bipolar and schizophrenic, and suffering from hallucinations. Police told the New York Daily News that the FBI was “sceptical” about his confession.