Human remains dug up by police have been identified as missing four-year-old Athena Brownfield. The little girl’s body was recovered one week after her five-year-old sister was found wandering alone by a postal worker outside their home.
Ivon Adams, her carer over the last year and a half, is in custody facing charges of first-degree murder after the postal worker informed police about missing Athena.
The remains were found on January 17 near Rush Springs, around 15 miles from the community of Cyril in Oklahoma, US where Athena was reported missing.
The suspect’s wife, Alysia Adams, said he beat Athena just before midnight on Christmas Day, leaving her motionless with eyes barely open, according to an affidavit for the arrest.
Athena “was not moving and her eyes were barely open” Mrs Adams said, according to the affidavit.
Mr Adams “then laid her on the ground and punched her at least three more times in the chest” and the child “never moved after that”, Mrs Adams is quoted as saying in the document.
He left the home with Athena at about 1am on December 26 and later returned, saying he buried her body on land the Adams once owned near Rush Springs, marking the site with “a large broken branch”, it is alleged.
Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation had initially been unable to confirm the remains were Athena, though the Oklahoma Office of the Chief Medical Examiner confirmed their identity on Thursday.
READ MORE: Heartbroken mum of Tyre Nichols speaks out
