Oklahoma officials searching for a missing 4-year-old girl found the remains of a child Tuesday, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation said.
«At this time, OSBI cannot confirm that the remains are those of Athena Brownfield,» the office said in a statement. «The remains will be transported to the Office of the Medical Examiner in Oklahoma City for positive identification.»
The couple who had been caring for Athena Brownfield have been charged in connection with her disappearance.
The remains were found outside of Rush Springs, a town in rural Grady County, about 60 miles south of Oklahoma City. Rush Springs is about 25 miles from Cyril, which is where a postal worker saw Athena’s sister wandering alone earlier this month.
On Monday, after a week of searching for the girl, investigators said their search had turned into a «salvage operation» to find her remains.
Ivon Adams, 36, was arrested Thursday in Arizona and is scheduled to be extradited to Oklahoma on charges of first-degree murder and child neglect, the state office saying.
His wife, Alysia Adams, 31, was arrested by the Grady County Sheriff’s Office on two counts of child neglect in connection with the case, the state office said. It was not clear if either man had lawyers.
Alysia Adams was related to Athena and her 5-year-old sister, the state office said, adding that the two siblings had been in her care for at least a year.
Authorities have said the sisters’ biological parents were cooperating with the investigation and had been interviewed by authorities. Athena’s sister has been taken into protective custody, the state office said.