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Area residents placed stuffed animals and flowers at a memorial for 4-year-old Athena Brownfield at the house at 225 W. Nebraska in Cyril, where she lived with her sister. STEVE BOOKER | SOUTHWEST CHRONICLE
CADDO COUNTY — The man police say is responsible for killing a 4-year-old Cyril girl is being held in the Caddo County jail without bond. A gag order has been issued on his case, preventing the release of court documents and prohibiting investigators from speaking to the press regarding the case.
Ivon Neil Adams, 36, was extradited from Arizona Thursday, Jan. 19 and was booked into the Caddo County jail around 9 p.m. Addams is charged with first degree murder and child neglect. He is next scheduled to appear in Caddo County District Court on April 27.
An Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation spokesperson said Thursday the remains of a small child discovered by OSBI agents Tuesday outside the town of Rush Springs in rural Grady County have been positively identified to be those of the missing Cyril 4-year-old, Athena Brownfield.
Gag order issued in Alysia Adams’ case
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.
An application to stop prejudicial pretrial publicity was filed Tuesday, Jan. 17 by Alysia Adams’ attorney. An order prohibiting extrajudicial statements, commonly referred to as a “gag order,” was issued by the court on Wednesday, Jan. 18.
Caddo County Court Clerk officials told Southwest Chronicle 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 — 36-year-old Ivon Neil Adams and 31-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.