Athena Brownfield: Oklahoma authorities examine ID of child's remains found near murder suspect's former home

WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT

Oklahoma authorities have discovered a child's remains in Rush Springs, Oklahoma — the same town where 4-year-old Athena Brownfield's suspected murderer said he buried the toddler,, according to court documents.

 "The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (OSBI) has recovered the remains of a child in rural Grady County outside of Rush Springs. At this time, the OSBI cannot confirm the remains are those of Athena Brownfield. The remains will be transported to the Medical Examiner's Office in Oklahoma City for positive identification," OSBI said in a Tuesday afternoon Facebook post.

Investigators say 35-year-old Ivon Adams — one of two caretakers for Athena and her 5-year-old sister — allegedly killed her on Christmas and buried her body before fleeing to Arizona.

Ivon Adams is charged with first-degree murder and child neglect in connection with Athena's disappearance from Adams' home in Cyril, Oklahoma, and the girl's death. His wife, 35-year-old Alysia Adams, is charged with two counts of child neglect.

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"Alysia confessed that on Dec. 25, 2022, around midnight that night, Ivon beat [Athena] and held her by her arms, [Athena] was not moving and her eyes were barely open," Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (OSBI) Special Agent Brenna Alvarez wrote in a probable cause affidavit filed in Caddo County. "He then laid her on the ground and punched her chest at least more three times after that. [Athena] never moved after that."

The alleged abuse occurred at the Adams' home at 225 West Nebraska Avenue in Cyril, Oklahoma.

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Ivon left the residence with Athena afterward and later told Alysia that he buried her near the fence line of their old property in Rush Springs, Oklahoma, according to Alvarez.

Athena and her older sister called Alysia "Mom" and "Aly." They called Ivon "Dad" and "Uncle Ivon," the court filing states. Their biological mother, Jasmin Brownfield, left the girls in the Adams' care approximately one to two years prior to Athena's disappearance. The Adams did not take the girls to the doctor or enroll Athena in school, according to the affidavit.

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Athena was initially reported missing last week after a postal carrier found her 5-year-old sister wandering around alone on Nebraska Avenue in Cyril, Oklahoma, around 2 p.m.

The postal carrier knew the 5-year-old girl "wasn't where she was supposed to be and notified police," at which point law enforcement realized that Athena was missing, said OSBI public information officer Brook Arbeitman during a press conference posted to Facebook last week.

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Athena's older sister told a Cyril officer that she had "been home alone and was tired of being alone," the affidavit states.

The officer then received a phone call from Alysia Adams asking where Athena Brownfield was located. At that time, authorities determined that the 4-year-old was missing.

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Officials with the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office arrested Ivon in Phoenix on a charge of acting as a fugitive from justice.

Anyone with information about Athena's whereabouts is asked to contact OSBI at 405-879-2591 or local police.