The Murder of Athena Brownfield
Athena Brownfield, 4, has been determined to be a murder victim. Ivon Adams, 36, has been arrested for first-degree murder and child neglect. His wife, Alysia Adams, has been charged with two counts of child neglect. Remains were in Grady County, Oklahoma, on January 17, 2023. They are pending positive identification from the medical examiner’s office. This is an open and active investigation.
Missing Child, Athena Brownfield
Athena Brownfield was reported as a missing child on January 10, 2023, when a Cyril, Oklahoma, postal worker discovered Adina Brownfield, Athena’s 5-year-old sister, wandering alone in the Nebraska Avenue neighborhood at approximately 2:00 p.m. The postal worker immediately contacted the police, sensing that something was wrong. Adina reportedly told police officers she had “been home alone, and she was tired of being alone.”
Investigators learned that the Brownfield children had been under the care of Alysia and Ivon Adams and lived at 225 West Nebraska Avenue in Cyril, OK. The couple had recently separated, and Alysia had left the home with their four children, leaving the two Brownfield children with Ivon Adams.
The Brownfield Children
Athena and Adina Brownfield are the biological children of Jasmin Brownfield. Police have not released the name of the biological father. The Brownfields left their two daughters in the care of Ivon and Alysia Adams for more than a year.
When investigators interviewed Alysia Adams, she made a confession regarding her husband. Adams stated that around midnight on December 25, 2022, Ivon Adams struck Athena, which knocked the child to the ground. Alysia stated Athena was not moving and barely had her eyes open. She described Ivon forcefully striking Athena in the chest with his fist “at least three more times.”
Alysia explained Ivon left with Athena’s unmoving body at approximately 1:00 a.m. on December 26, 2023. He returned a short time later, saying that he had taken Athena’s body 20 miles southeast of Cyril and buried the child near one of their previous residences in rural Rush Springs, OK. She stated he had told her that the burial site was near an old fence and that he had laid a heavy branch across the makeshift grave.
Search Efforts for Athena Brownfield
Federal, state, county and city law enforcement agencies, along with additional emergency service personnel and private citizens, are presently searching for Athena Brownfield. Military helicopters, drones and canine search teams from the Oklahoma Corrections Department. Her case classification has been changed from a missing child to a recovery operation. On the afternoon of January 17, 2023, the body of a child was recovered in the Rush Springs, OK area. The identification of the child has not yet been determined, pending efforts by the medical examiner.
The Arrest of Ivon and Alysia Adams
On January 10, 2023, Alysia Adams was arrested and charged with two counts of child neglect. She is presently being held in jail in Cyril, OK, pending further court appearances.
On January 12, 2023, police arrested Ivon Neil Adams at 6724 W. Oregon Ave, Glendale, AZ. He is presently being held in the jail in Maricopa County AZ, pending extradition back to Oklahoma. A judge arraigned him in an Arizona courthouse on January 13, 2023, where he told the judge, “I want to get there and take care of it.” The Arizona judge set his initial bail at $1 million dollars. In Arizona, he has been charged as a fugitive from justice. His Oklahoma charges are listed as first degree homicide of a child and child neglect. You can find his Arizona fugitive warrant here.
At present, Adina Brownfield is in protective custody and will be receiving full-time care and support services for an indeterminate amount of time.