Ronald Bohannon, 29, initially told investigators that he was pushing Travis Bohannon in a stroller near his home Sunday evening when he heard a gunshot and saw the boy slump over.

The Greene County Sheriff's Department said Bohannon later admitted making up that story and then told them that he was holding a loaded handgun in his hand as he pushed the stroller and that the gun discharged accidentally, 6News' Ben Morriston reported.

Bohannon appeared in court Thursday and was charged with reckless homicide, pointing a firearm, possession of a handgun without a permit, possession of a handgun with a prior felony conviction, obstruction of justice and false informing.

The boy's mother said she believes her son's shooting was unintentional.

"My baby died. Right now, it's believed in a tragic accident," said Jamie Bohannon. "You know, that's all we know, that it was accidental, my son was accidentally shot."

The arrest came less than a day after investigators reported finding a handgun in a wooded, weed-filled area near where Travis was killed. Police said the gun was stolen.

Greene County Prosecutor Jarrod Holtsclaw told the Greene County Daily World that the Indiana State Police Lab in Indianapolis would conduct ballistic tests on the gun and search it for fingerprints.

"Obviously, we have a case where a person is shot and finding a firearm in or near the area of the shooting is important," he told the newspaper Wednesday.

Travis was shot in the head with a single bullet in the rural community of Midland, about 25 miles southeast of Terre Haute. Authorities said an autopsy performed on the toddler failed to find a bullet, as it had passed through his head.

Ronald Bohannon was being held Thursday at the Greene County Jail on $50,000 bond. He was already in custody after being arrested Wednesday on a Vigo County warrant on unrelated charges of receiving stolen property.

Bohannon has previous felony convictions for theft, forgery and receiving stolen property.

Travis and his 4-year-old brother were at their father's home for a weekend visit as Bohannon and his wife are in the midst of a divorce, police said.

The boy's funeral is set for 11 a.m. Friday at Mattox-Wood Funeral Home in Terre Haute.