A 4-year-old girl from Cyril, Oklahoma is still missing after she went missing earlier this week and authorities are asking the public to help in the investigation.
Athena Brownfield has been missing since last Tuesday, and the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (OSBI) and Oklahoma Highway Patrol (OHP) have deployed infrared helicopters, boats, four-wheelers and crews on the ground to search for her. in the nearby area in an effort to locate her, according to OHP Trooper Eric Foster.
“We’ve been in the air in helicopters with infrared, on the ground, around the city, there’s been a lot of grid searches on foot and four-wheel drive, things like that,” Foster said during a news conference Wednesday afternoon. , FOX 25 reported. “Our Emergency Response Team (ERT), which is specially trained to go on foot in search of people and things, is in coordination with the civilians who have come and wanted to offer their time and effort.”
The office’s PIO, Brook Arbeitman, confirmed this information, adding: “We’re still very actively looking for her using all of our tools. We’re finding things that we hope will give us clues as to where she is, but we’re still actively looking.” his.”
Athena Brownfield, 4, has been missing since at least Tuesday and authorities continue to search for her.
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Authorities also used dogs from the Oklahoma Department of Corrections to assist in the search, according to the report.
“This is a very active and ongoing investigation, and right now our top priority is locating her. And then determine who is responsible. We need to find this girl,” Arbeitman said. “She is alone in the elements. So is she endangered? Yes. But is she the victim of physical harm? That has yet to be determined.”
This ground search continued through Wednesday, but concluded after volunteers searched “the entire city,” Arbeitman said.
“Today at 4 pm, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol (OHP) Emergency Response Team (ERT) concluded a grid search with local volunteers. Those volunteers were released after searching the entire city, every home known unoccupied areas and local waterways,” OSBI added in a separate statement Wednesday afternoon.
He added: “Currently, the Oklahoma Department of Corrections (ODOC) has search dogs in the area and the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs (OBNDD) flew their drones over the community.”
Athena was reported missing around 2 p.m. Tuesday after a postal worker found her 5-year-old sister alone near her residence in Cyril, which is about 70 miles (113 km) southwest of the city of Oklahoma.
The older girl was described as frightened but not in need of medical attention.
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It is unclear how long she was missing before she was reported missing.
“We’re still working to put together an exact schedule,” Arbeitman said.
Details about the house where the girls were staying were also not immediately clear and the whereabouts of the girls’ parents or guardians at the time of Athena’s disappearance were unknown.
“That is part of the ongoing investigation,” Arbeitman said Wednesday morning when asked who was supposed to be watching the girls, according to KOCO News.
The 5-year-old boy has been taken into protective custody.
An Oklahoma City Police Department vehicle.
(Oklahoma City Police Department)
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Many details about the 4-year-old boy, who authorities initially said was 3 but have since corrected, remain unknown. An Amber Alert was not subsequently issued because his disappearance did not meet specific guidelines, Foster said.
“There are specific guidelines and things that we have to follow,” he explained. “Not all parts of that guidance came into play in this. So the best we could do was issue a missing and endangered notification that went out within a 15-mile radius of where he disappeared.”
Law enforcement officials continue to conduct interviews and review surveillance video in the area. They are also asking anyone with doorbell cameras or images of the area near the 200 block of West Nebraska to turn in their resources to assist in these efforts.
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“The entire law enforcement community helping to locate Athena thanks the local volunteers, the restaurants, the churches and all the advice they have received over the phone,” OSBI said.
Residents are encouraged to look for Athena on their property.
Fox News Digital is aware of any social media posts about Athena’s parents or details about her living situation, but OSBI advises people and the media not to share unconfirmed details as it could hinder the investigation.
Anyone with information regarding the disappearance of Athena Brownfield is asked to contact the Cyril Police Department directly at (580) 464-2216, OSBI tip line at 800-522-8017 or email to tips@osbi.ok.gov
