INDIANAPOLIS -- The father of a 5-year-old boy who investigators said fatally shot his 4-year-old sister was arrested in the case Wednesday while attending the girl's funeral.

James Michael Booher, 24, was arrested on a felony charge of neglect in connection with Sunday's death of his daughter, Makayla Booher. He is expected to be charged on Thursday, 6News' Cheryl Jackson reported.

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Images: 5-Year-Old Fatally Shoots 4-Year-Old Sister

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Officers took him into custody during Makayla's funeral because prosecutors considered him a flight risk. He was held without opportunity for bail.

Makayla's mother, Michelle Vensko, said that the child weighed less than 2 pounds when she was born and was a fighter.

"I didn't want to accept it until I saw her in the casket today," Vensko said. "Every day, I prayed to God not to take her from me."

Vensko and James Booher are separated.

Police said they believe Booher's 5-year-old son, Devin, took a handgun from the top of a bookcase, pointed the gun at his sister and pulled the trigger at their father's home in the 6100 block of Massachusetts Avenue at about 10 a.m. Sunday.

"When I walked up on the … scene, Devin did tell me what he did," Vensko said.

According to police, James Booher told investigators he thought the .40-caliber semiautomatic gun had been stored unloaded because its magazine had been removed. Police said that despite the magazine's removal, a bullet still was in the gun.

Police said the boy used a chair to reach the top of the bookcase. Devin's teenage sister was also home at the time.

Vensko said Booher was arrested as the family gathered around Makayla's casket at a cemetery.

"They took Mike right out of my arms at the funeral," Vensko said. "My leg gave out, and I fell on Makayla's casket."

"He (James) is totally heart broken. Even if he does jail time for this, it's not going to fix it," Vensko said. "This child was actually loved. It was an accident."

Devin Booher and his teenage sister were placed in foster care.