CYRIL — The remains of a small child discovered by Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation agents Tuesday outside the town of Rush Springs in rural Grady County are believed to be those of missing Cyril 4-year-old Athena Brownfield. An OSBI spokesperson said Tuesday the agency was awaiting confirmation from the Office of the Oklahoma State Medical Examiner to be sure.
Services for Athena Alexandria Brownfield are scheduled to be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 25, at Stride Bank Center in Enid. State Sen. Roger Thompson will officiate.
According to an obituary released Thursday by Enid-based Stittsworth Funeral Services, Athena Brownfield was born Sept. 6, 2018, in Lawton, to Wesley and Jasmin Brownfield. She died Dec. 25, 2022. Brownfield loved to color and loved Baby Shark. She was very close to her older sister and loved to play dress-up. Her favorite color was purple.
Athena Brownfield is survived by her mother, Jasmin, of Stillwater; her father, Wesley, of Apache; her sister, Adina, of Cyril; her grandparents on both sides; and her aunts and uncles.
Ivon Adams’ extradition to Oklahoma underway; gag order issued in Alysia Adams’ case
Records indicate Ivon Adams is no longer in the custody of the Maricopa County, Arizona, Sheriff’s Office.
Sources with knowledge of the investigation told Southwest Chronicle that Adams is currently being transported to the Caddo County Jail in Anadarko to face felony charges of first-degree murder and child neglect. Ivon Adams’ bond is set at $1 million.
Alysia Adams remains incarcerated in the Caddo County Jail in lieu of a $500,000 bond. Court records indicate terms and conditions attached to Adams’ bond are such that, were she to post bond, she would be required to wear a GPS monitor so authorities could track her location at all times. Adams would also be prohibited from leaving the state of Oklahoma, and her contact with certain individuals would be restricted.
Court records indicate an application to stop prejudicial pretrial publicity was filed Tuesday by Alysia Adams’ attorney. An order prohibiting extrajudicial statements, commonly referred to as a “gag order,” was issued by the court on Wednesday.
Caddo County Court Clerk officials told Southwest Chronicle Thursday they were not allowed to provide a copy of those records.
Timeline of events
A search for Athena Brownfield began Jan. 6 after a postal carrier reported finding the girl’s 5-year-old sister near a home at 225 W. Nebraska in Cyril. The postal carrier reported the incident to Cyril police, who quickly discovered Athena was missing.
On Tuesday, OSBI said searchers 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,” a press release read. “The remains will be transported to the Medical Examiner’s Office in Oklahoma City for positive identification.”
Two people, the alleged caregivers of Brownfield and her sister, have been arrested in the case — 35-year-old Ivon Neil Adams and 30-year-old Alysia Adams.
According to a probable cause affidavit filed by OSBI Lt. Brenna Alverez, a review of phone records for the husband-and-wife suspects did not match what they initially reported to authorities.
“On Dec. 26, 2022, between (4:15 a.m. and 5:30 a.m.), Ivon’s phone records show his phone leaving 225 W. Nebraska (the house where the two lived with the children) and traveling to near Rush Springs. Alysia and Ivon (Adams) had a previous residence located in the Rush Springs area,” Alvarez said in the affidavit.
The area mentioned is reportedly where searchers located the body Tuesday.
“Alysia confessed that on Dec. 25, 2022, around midnight that night, Ivon beat (Athena) and held her up by her arms, (Athena) was not moving and her eyes were barely open,” Alverez said in the affidavit. “He then laid her on the ground and punched her at least three more times in her chest. (Athena) never moved after that. This occurred at their residence on 225 W. Nebraska.”
Alysia Adams reportedly said that Ivon Adams then left around 1 a.m. on Dec. 26 with Athena Brownfield.
“When he arrived back, he told Alysia (Adams) that he buried (Athena) near a fence line that was next to their old residence in Rush Springs,” Alverez said. “He informed her he placed a large broken branch over the burial site. Due to these circumstances, we believe Ivon Adams committed first-degree murder.”
Court records indicate Caddo County District Attorney Jason M. Hicks filed charges Jan. 12 of first-degree murder and child neglect against Ivon Adams.
Additionally, Alysia Adams was charged Tuesday with two felony counts of child neglect.
According to the affidavit, the children’s biological mother, Jasmin Brownfield, left them in the care of Ivon and Alysia Adams about one-and-a-half to two years ago.
The children called Alysia Adams “mom,” and Ivon Adams was “dad” or “Uncle Ivon.”
Ivon and Alysia Adams never took the children to the doctor for check-ups and did not enroll the older sister in school, according to Alverez.
Athena Brownfield’s sister remains in protective custody.
