Oklahoma and federal law enforcement are searching for a missing 4-year-old girl who was reported missing Tuesday afternoon in Cyril. Below is what we know. Who is MissingAuthorities are searching for 4-year-old Athena Brownfield. She has blonde hair and was last seen wearing a butterfly hoodie.| TOMORROW | Search continues for missing 4-year-old Cyril girl reported missing Tuesday The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation initially said Athena is 3 but has since confirmed that she is 4. Timeline of Events The investigation into Athena’s disappearance started around 2 pm Tuesday after a mail carrier found an unattended 5-year-old girl – whom OSBI says is Athena’s sister – near their home in the 200 block of West Nebraska in Cyril. Oklahoma law enforcement and the FBI have conducted searches and an investigation into the disappearance since then. Brook Arbeitman, with the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, said law enforcement is working to put together an exact timeline of when Athena was last seen.”We’re still working on putting together the exact timeline. But again, I can confirm that this investigation really kicked off yesterday at 2 pm when the postal carrier located the 5-year-old and contacted the police department. And then we got involved later that night,” Arbeitman said. “Then, of course, all of our law enforcement partners have joined us, and we’ve been looking for her nonstop since the original call came into the police department.” The SearchAuthorities say the search has been underway since learning that Athena was missing Tuesday afternoon. Law enforcement has deployed infrared helicopters and conducted grid searches on foot with the help of volunteers and using four-wheelers. They also have utilized boats on small ponds.”Our ERT Team, which is a team specialty trained to go on foot in search of people and things, are out in coordination with civilians who have come and wanted to volunteer their time and effort,” Oklahoma Highway Patrol Trooper Eric Foster said. Arbeitman said they are collecting items that could be relevant, but she said she’s not calling them evidence as of Wednesday afternoon. “We are finding things around town that could be helpful in this case,” Arbeitman said . “We are finding things that we hope might give us clues on where she is. We’re still actively looking for her.” Arbeitman said the ground grid search with volunteers was called off Wednesday afternoon, but authorities brought in Oklahoma Department of Corrections dogs to search for Athena. Why an Amber Alert Was Not Issued Foster said an Amber Alert was not issued because the circumstances surrounding Athena’s disappearance do not meet the specific guidelines required.”The Amber Alert has specific guidelines that we have to adhere to push out the Amber Alert specifically,” Foster said. “The Amber Alert goes out nationwide. Once we push that button, it goes all the way to Washington, DC, and goes out like that. So, there’s specific things and guidelines that we have to follow. Not every part of that guideline came into play in this, so that wasn’t done.”A missing and endangered person alert went out Tuesday to people in a 15-mile radius of Cyril.”That’s why you didn’t get it statewide – those emergency alerts statewide,” Foster said. “It went locally, and that was really the important timeframe that we needed to get that out.” Foster added that information also was put on social media so people and the media could get the information out to more people. “It was done in a very efficient way by guidelines,” Foster said. and there are reasons for those guidelines that the Department of Justice puts out those guidelines to help us kind of put that together.” How to Help The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation said anyone who wants to help or has information can go to the command center at Family Life Church near the corner of Third Street and Idaho Avenue. The OSBI asks anyone with a doorbell camera or surveillance camera to come to Family Life Church so law enforcement can look at the video. The agency also urges Cyril residents to search their properties. Arbeitman also urged people not to spread rumors or gossip on social media because it can be counterproductive to the search and investigation. Anyone with information about Athena’s location is asked to contact the OSBI tip line at 800-522-8017 or email [email protected] ok.gov. Where is Cyril, Oklahoma? Cyril is a town located in Caddo County and is a little more than an hour’s drive southwest of Oklahoma City. What Else Do We Still Not Know? An exact timeline e or when Athena went missing. Where Athena’s parents are. When asked about where Athena’s parents are, Arbeitman said, “That’s part of the ongoing investigation.” Does law enforcement suspect foul play? If so, are there any suspects? This is a developing story. Stay with KOCO 5 as more about the search unravels.
CYRIL, Okla. —
Oklahoma and federal law enforcement are searching for a missing 4-year-old girl who was reported missing Tuesday afternoon in Cyril.
Below is what we know.
Who is Missing
Authorities are searching for 4-year-old Athena Brownfield. She has blonde hair and was last seen wearing a butterfly hoodie.
| TOMORROW | Search continues for missing 4-year-old Cyril girl reported missing Tuesday
The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation initially said Athena is 3 but has since confirmed that she is 4.
Timeline of Events
The investigation into Athena’s disappearance started around 2 pm Tuesday after a mail carrier found an unattended 5-year-old girl – whom OSBI says is Athena’s sister – near their home in the 200 block of West Nebraska in Cyril.
Oklahoma law enforcement and the FBI have conducted searches and an investigation into the disappearance since then.
Brook Arbeitman, with the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, said law enforcement is working to put together an exact timeline of when Athena was last seen.
“We’re still working on putting together the exact timeline. But again, I can confirm that this investigation really kicked off yesterday at 2 pm when the postal carrier located the 5-year-old and contacted the police department. And then we got involved later that night,” Arbeitman said. “Then, of course, all of our law enforcement partners have joined us, and we’ve been looking for her nonstop since the original call came into the police department.”
The Search
Authorities say the search has been underway since learning that Athena was missing Tuesday afternoon.
Law enforcement has deployed infrared helicopters and conducted grid searches on foot with the help of volunteers and using four-wheelers. They also used boats on small ponds.
“Our ERT Team, which is a team specialty trained to go on foot in search of people and things, are out in coordination with civilians who have come and wanted to volunteer their time and effort,” Oklahoma Highway Patrol Trooper Eric Foster said.
Arbeitman said they are collecting items that could be relevant, but she said she’s not calling them evidence as of Wednesday afternoon.
“We are finding things around town that could be helpful in this case,” Arbeitman said. “We are finding things that we hope might give us clues on where she is. We’re still actively looking for her.”
Arbeitman said the ground grid search with volunteers was called off Wednesday afternoon, but authorities brought in Oklahoma Department of Corrections dogs to search for Athena.
Why an Amber Alert Was Not Issued
Foster said an Amber Alert was not issued because the circumstances surrounding Athena’s disappearance do not meet the specific guidelines required.
“The Amber Alert has specific guidelines that we have to adhere to to push out the Amber Alert specifically,” Foster said. “The Amber Alert goes out nationwide. Once we push that button, it goes all the way to Washington, DC, and goes out like that. So, there’s specific things and guidelines that we have to follow. Not every part of that guideline came into play in this, so that wasn’t done.”
A missing and endangered person alert went out Tuesday to people in a 15-mile radius of Cyril.
“That’s why you didn’t get it statewide – those emergency alerts statewide,” Foster said. “It went locally, and that was really the important timeframe that we needed to get that out.”
Foster added that information was also put on social media so people and the media could get the information out to more people.
“It was done in a very efficient way by guidelines,” Foster said. and there are reasons for those guidelines that the Department of Justice puts out those guidelines to help us kind of put that together.”
How to Help
The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation said anyone who wants to help or has information can go to the command center at Family Life Church near the corner of Third Street and Idaho Avenue.
The OSBI asks anyone with a doorbell camera or surveillance camera to come to Family Life Church so law enforcement can look at the video. The agency also urges Cyril residents to search their properties.
Arbeitman also urged people not to spread rumors or gossip on social media because it can be counterproductive to the search and investigation.
Anyone with information about Athena’s location is asked to contact the OSBI tip line at 800-522-8017 or email [email protected]
Where is Cyril, Oklahoma?
Cyril is a town located in Caddo County and is a little more than an hour’s drive southwest of Oklahoma City.
What Else Do We Still Don’t Know?
An exact timeline of when Athena went missing. Where Athena’s parents are. When asked about where Athena’s parents are, Arbeitman said, “That’s part of the ongoing investigation.” Does law enforcement suspect foul play? If so, are there any suspects?
This is a developing story. Stay with KOCO 5 as more about the search unravels.
