CADDO COUNTY, Okla.— The search for missing four-year-old Athena Brownfield is now considered a recovery operation, according to a Monday afternoon statement from the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation.
Special Agents from the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, along with partners at the Oklahoma Highway Patrol (OHP), have been searching areas of Caddo County for the toddler’s remains.
Athena and her five-year-old sister are related to Alysia Adams and had been in the Adams’ care for at least a year. It was discovered that Athena was missing when a postal carrier found the five-year-old outside the Adams’ home with no adult supervision on January 10, 2023. The postal carrier notified the Cyril Police Department and that’s when the investigation into Athena’s whereabouts began.
Alysia Adams is facing two counts of Child Neglect and Ivon Adams is facing one count of First Degree Murder and one count of Child Neglect.
Ivon Adams was arrested in Phoenix on January 12 and is awaiting extradition to Oklahoma. Alysia was also arrested on January 12, 2023 and is currently in the Caddo County Jail.
At this time, these are accusations and neither party has been convicted of any crime related to this investigation. The parties are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The girls biological parents have been interviewed by agents and are cooperating with the investigation.
The OSBI is asking that the public not self-deploy to search for Athena. Individuals who search for Athena on their own could be trespassing or worse, interfering with the investigation by contaminating potential evidence.
Please refrain from speculation regarding what the investigation has revealed to this point. Rumors on social media will not help the investigation and may instead hinder progress. If you have information about this case, please contact the OSBI tipline at (800) 522-8017 or email [email protected]. You can remain anonymous.