Man facing murder charge as girl, 4, vanishes and sister found wandering street
A man has been charged with first-degree murder in connection to the disappearance of a four-year-old girl who went missing this week.
Caregiver Ivon Adams, 36, was arrested on Thursday in Arizona on one count of child neglect in the case of Athena Brownfield, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation said in a news release.
Investigators said Friday evening that Adams is also facing a charge of first-degree murder, but gave no other details about what led to the charges.
Adams is being held in the Maricopa County jail in Phoenix pending extradition to Oklahoma, the OSBI said.
Earlier, Oklahoma authorities arrested Ivon's wife, Alysia Adams, 31, on two counts of child neglect, the bureau said in a statement late Thursday. Alysia Adams remained jailed in Oklahoma's Caddo County on Friday.
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Athena Brownfield was reported missing on Tuesday and the search to locate her continues (Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation)The bureau released no further details about the arrests. It was not clear whether either Adams had an attorney to comment on their behalf.
Athena was reported missing on Tuesday in Cyril, about 70 miles (110 kilometres) southwest of Oklahoma City.
A postal carrier found Athena’s five-year-old sister wandering alone outside Adams' home Monday afternoon and alerted Cyril police. Authorities then determined that Athena was missing.
According to police, both sisters were in the care of Ivon and Alysia Adams when the older of the two children was found wandering the streets.
Alysia Adams, the wife of Ivon Adams, has also been arrested (Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation)Fortunately, her sister was uninjured and did not need any hospital care. She is currently in protective custody.
Authorities said they believe Athena was wearing a hoodie with a butterfly design when she disappeared.
The bureau said it was working with other law enforcement agencies and volunteers in the search, which included a helicopter, boats, all-terrain vehicles, a specially trained ground team, and a review of surveillance video from around Cyril.
The city of Cyril has also suspended trash service as investigators search for clues.
Boats, all-terrain vehicles, a helicopter and a specially trained ground team are involved in the search for Athena (@OHPDPS/Twitter)The bureau said agents were following up on tips coming from Oklahoma and other states.
Brook Arbeitman, a spokesperson for OSBI, said officers are trying to figure out when Athena was last seen.
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Arbeitman admitted the whereabouts of the parents are "part of the ongoing investigation".
She said: "Right now our top priority is locating her and sorting out who’s responsible will come next. But we need to find this little girl.”
Arbeitman refused to say if the girl is a possible victim of physical harm as it is “yet to be determined".
The search for Athena continues while authorities have said she is considered to be in danger (Trooper Eric Foster/AP/REX/Shutterstock)However, she is considered to be in danger at this time, Arbeitman admitted.
She added: "She’s a little child and she's missing, and she's on her own in the elements."
Arbeitman added: "We are finding things that we hope might give us clues."
Athena is 3ft tall and weighs 45 pounds and has light brown hair and blue eyes.
Officers have asked any residents and businesses to share CCTV and doorbell cameras in addition to searching their properties.
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