On Tuesday, Divine Vaniah Chambliss, 31, was watching his 2-year-old son in their Hoover, Ala., home when he lay down to take a nap. Police believe the child found his father's gun and began playing with it.
When Chambliss' wife returned home around 3 p.m., she found her husband in bed, unresponsive, according to AL.com.
"I hurt my dad," the little boy told his mom.
She called 911, and when emergency responders arrived, they found that Chambliss had suffered a single gunshot wound to the head. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
"Detectives have considered every possible scenario in an attempt to determine who shot the victim," Hoover police said in a statement posted on Facebook Wednesday.
"There is still no indication that an intruder or any third person was involved in this incident. Physical evidence has also helped us determine that the victim could not have shot himself," the statement read. "All indications at this point still lead us to believe the child found the loaded handgun and accidentally shot his father."
Chambliss, who worked security at a church, carried the gun in a holster at all times, according to family who spoke with the news site. Chambliss' family added that he always kept the gun safety on. Police believe that the gun may have been tucked under a pillow and that the boy found it.
Chambliss and his wife have a daughter who was at school at the time of the shooting, and police note that only Chambliss and his son were in the home when he was shot.
"Detectives have left no stone unturned in their efforts to determine exactly what happened in this case. There's never a good scenario when it involves a tragic death, but it appears that this case may represent the unthinkable,'' Hoover Police Capt. Gregg Rector told AL.com.
"It's just an absolute horrible tragedy. Our hearts go out for Mr. Chambliss' family and friends. They're going through a rough time right now, and they need prayers and support," he said.
Read more at AL.com.