Caddo Co. D.A. seeks death penalty for caretaker of Athena Brownfield

CADDO COUNTY, Okla. ( KFOR ) – The Caddo County District Attorney is seeking the death penalty for one of the caretakers for 4-year-old Athena Brownfield .

Officials say Athena Brownfield was reported missing in January of 2023 in Cyril when her 5-year-old sister was found wandering outside her home by a postal worker . The search for Athena began shortly after.

One week later, Athena’s remains were found on a rural Grady County property . The final autopsy report reveals Athena’s body was found in a backpack. The medical examiners report showed that she died from “acute pneumonia complicating malnutrition.”

The caretakers for Athena and her sister, Alysia and Ivon Adams, were arrested shortly after the search began. Both are facing murder charges for the death of Athena.

On December 12, 2023, Ivon’s charges were reduced from 1st to 2nd degree murder for the 4-year-old’s death. He’s also faces charges of child neglect for Athena’s sister and unlawful removal of a dead body.

The charges were reduced after Alysia claimed her husband beat Athena to death, but the M.E. report said there was no evidence of physical lethal trauma.

Alysia is facing 1st degree murder charges for allegedly “putting Athena Brownfield in a closet and depriving the child of proper nutrition.” In addition to the murder charge, she also faces charges for obstruction of an officer, because she allegedly “provided false information”.

D.A. Jason Hicks says Alysia should be punished by death because she “knowingly created a great risk of death to more than one person” and that “the death of Athena Brownfield was especially heinous, atrocious or, cruel.”

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