Athena Brownfield, a missing 4-year-old girl from Cyril, Oklahoma, was beaten and killed on Christmas Day by one of her caretakers, Ivon Adams. According to court documents, Adams’ wife Alysia admitted that he beat Athena Brownfield and held her up by her arms. She was not moving and her eyes were barely open. Adams then allegedly laid her on the ground and punched her three more times in the chest, reported okcfox.com.

Brownfield didn’t move after that. The reported incident happened at the home of Alysia and Ivon Adams at 225 West Nebraska Avenue in Cyril. 

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Who are Alysia and Ivon Adams?

Alysia Adams and Ivon Adams were taken into custody on Thursday and charged with two counts each of child neglect in connection with the missing of Athena Brownfield, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (OSBI) said in a press release. Alysia is 30 years old. Ivon is 36. Ivon has also been charged with one count of murder.

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According to court documents, the children’s biological mother left Athena and her sister in the care of the Adams for around one-and-a-half to two years. They never took the children to the hospital for check-ups and did not enroll the 5-year-old in school.

Ivon Adams left home around 1 am on December 26 with Brownfield and buried her near a fence line that was next to their old home in the Rush Springs area. Ivon told Alysia that he placed a large broken branch over the burial site, according to court documents.  

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Brownfield was found missing when a postal carrier found her 5-year-old sister outside the Adams’ home with no adult supervision on January 10. The postal carrier informed the Cyril Police Department, and that started the search for the girl’s whereabouts. 

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The girls had been under the Adams’ care for at least a year. The girls were related to Alysia Adams, said the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation. 

The biological parents of the sisters have been interviewed and are “cooperating with the investigation,” OSBI said on Monday.