Police in northern Illinois are investigating an apparent murder-suicide that took the life of a five-old boy, who was presumably shot to death by his own father.

Local news station 23 WIFR reports that Christopher Michaels, 5, was found dead in his father’s home Monday afternoon. His father, Robert Michaels, was in the same room with what appeared to be self-inflicted gunshot wound. Thought Robert was still breathing when they police found him, attempts to revive him were unsuccessful and he died at the hospital the same day.

The little boy was pronounced dead at the scene.

Christopher’s mother, Kassondra Michaels, reportedly brought the boy to his father’s house after Robert invited him over to play video games. She stayed in the house while her son was there, but at one point Robert reportedly asked her to to go get something, and barricaded himself in a room with his son as soon as the mother left the room.

The boy’s mother told the news station she then heard two gunshots.

“Everything just happened so fast that I didn’t even know what to think,” she said.

WIFR reports the DCFS had prohibited Robert Michaels from having any contact with his son. Since September 12, he had been under investigation for sexually abusing a child, but his son was not the victim in that case.

Kassondra Michaels spoke to the news station about trying to process the tragedy.

“I am still in shock,” she said.

“I woke up this morning, and I was hoping I’d be waking up from a nightmare.”

Feature photo: WREX video screenshot