Athena Brownfield’s cause of death released by State Medical Examiner

OKLAHOMA CITY — The Oklahoma Medical Examiner has determined the cause of death for 4-year-old Athena Brownfield.

According to the ME’s preliminary autopsy report, Athena’s probable cause of death was determined to be from acute pneumonia that complicated her malnutrition. She weighed 24 pounds at the time of death, and was less than 3rd percentile for her weight-for-height, according to the report.

Athena also tested positive for rhinovirus/enterovirus, human adenovirus, human bocavirus and COVID-19.

Law enforcement learned Athena was missing in January when postal carrier Maci Meyers noticed Athena’s 5-year-old sister wandering outside a Cyril home. Myers stopped and asked the girl if she was OK and the girl’s responses made Myers uneasy, so she notified local authorities.

The 5-year-old girl had a little sister, 4-year-old Athena Brownfield, who was missing. The search that followed saw law enforcement joined by community volunteers, including Myers and her husband, in a search for Athena. Her remains would be recovered Jan. 17 on land outside Rush Springs in Grady County.

The girls had been left in the custody of Alysia, 31, and Ivon Neil Adams III, 37, both of Cyril, by their mother, Jasmin Adina Kay Brownfield, 27, of Stillwater, over a year ago while she was experiencing mental health issues that left her feeling she couldn’t care for the children properly, according to the warrant affidavit.

It was while speaking with law enforcement that Alysia Adams informed them Athena was missing.

According to her arrest warrant affidavit, Alysia Adams told investigators her husband, Ivon, had beaten the girl the night of Christmas 2022 at their home in Cyril. Early the next morning, she said he buried her on the land outside of Rush Springs.

Recovered phone data backed up the claim of Ivon Adams’ travels, the affidavit states.

The ME report stated there was no evidence of lethal physical trauma; however, homicide was identified as Athena’s cause of death.

Ivon Adams was arrested in Phoenix, Ariz., on Jan. 12 following the issuance of a first-degree murder and child neglect arrest warrant from Caddo County. After waiving extradition, he made his initial appearance Jan. 20 in Caddo County District Court for the warrant allegations and is being held without bond.

Alysia Adams was taken into custody on Jan. 12, and made her initial appearance for two counts of child neglect and is being held on $500,000 bond, records indicate.

The couple will face at preliminary hearing at 9 a.m. Oct. 4.

Jasmin Brownfield was charged May 4 with two counts of child neglect by abandonment, records indicate. She is Athena’s biological mother. She is free on $50,000 bond.