Oklahoma police ‘actively looking’ for missing 4-year-old Athena Brownfield with infrared helicopters, boats

A 4-year-old woman from Cyril, Oklahoma, continues to be lacking after she disappeared earlier this week and authorities are asking for the general public to help within the investigation.

Athena Brownfield has been lacking since final Tuesday, and the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (OSBI) and Oklahoma Freeway Patrol (OHP) have deployed infrared helicopters, boats, four-wheelers, and personnel on the bottom to look the close by space in an effort to find her, in response to the OHP Trooper Eric Foster. 

“We’ve been within the air in helicopters with infrared, on the bottom, round city there have been numerous grid searches on foot and on four-wheelers, issues like that,” Foster stated throughout a press convention Wednesday afternoon, FOX 25 reported. “Our Emergency Response Group (ERT), which is specifically educated to go on foot in quest of folks and issues, are out in coordination with civilians who’ve come and wished to volunteer their effort and time.”

The bureau’s PIO Brook Arbeitman confirmed this info, including: “We’re nonetheless very actively in search of her utilizing all of our instruments. We’re discovering issues that we hope may give us clues as to the place she is, however we’re nonetheless actively in search of her.”

Authorities additionally utilized Oklahoma Division of Corrections canine to assist search, per the report.

“This can be a very energetic and ongoing investigation, and proper now our prime precedence is finding her. And checking out who’s accountable will come subsequent. We have to discover this little woman,” Arbeitman stated. “She’s on her personal within the components. So, is that endangered? Yeah. However is she the sufferer of bodily hurt? That’s but to be decided.”

This floor search continued all Wednesday however concluded after volunteers searched “your entire city,” Arbeitman stated.

“At the moment at 4 p.m., the Oklahoma Freeway Patrol (OHP) Emergency Response Group (ERT) concluded a grid search with native volunteers. These volunteers have been launched after looking your entire city, each recognized vacant home and native waterways,” OSBI added in a separate assertion Wednesday afternoon.

It added: “At the moment, the Oklahoma Division of Corrections (ODOC) has search canine within the space and the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Harmful Medication (OBNDD) flew their drones over the neighborhood.”

Athena was reported lacking round 2 p.m. Tuesday after a postal employee discovered her 5-year-old sister alone close to their residence in Cyril, which is positioned about 70 miles southwest of Oklahoma Metropolis. 

The older woman was described as frightened however not needing medical care.

It isn’t clear how lengthy she had been lacking earlier than her disappearance was reported.

“We’re nonetheless engaged on placing collectively a precise timeline,” Arbeitman stated.

Particulars concerning the house the place the women had been staying are additionally not instantly clear and the whereabouts of the women’ dad and mom or guardians on the time of Athena’s disappearance usually are not recognized.

“That’s a part of the continuing investigation,” Arbeitman stated Wednesday morning when requested about who was alleged to be watching the women, in response to KOCO Information.

The 5-year-old has been positioned in protecting custody.

Many particulars concerning the 4-year-old, who authorities initially stated was 3 however have since corrected, usually are not recognized. Subsequently, an Amber Alert has not been issued as her disappearance doesn’t meet particular pointers, Foster stated.

“There’s particular pointers and issues that we now have to observe,” he defined. “Not each a part of that guideline got here into play on this. So the subsequent smartest thing that we might do was difficulty a Lacking and Endangered notification that went out in a 15-mile radius from the place she went lacking.”

Legislation enforcement officers are persevering with to conduct interviews and are reviewing surveillance movies within the space. They’re additionally asking anybody with doorbell cameras or footage of the realm close to the 200 block of West Nebraska to show over their sources to assist in these efforts.

“All the legislation enforcement neighborhood helping with finding Athena appreciates native volunteers, eating places, church buildings and all the information which were phoned in,” the OSBI stated.

Residents are inspired to look their very own property for Athena.

Fox Information Digital is conscious of social media posts concerning Athena’s dad and mom or particulars surrounding her dwelling scenario however the OSBI is advising folks and shops to not share unconfirmed particulars because it might hinder the investigation.  

Anybody with details about Athena Brownfield’s disappearance is requested to contact the Cyril Police Division immediately at (580) 464-2216, the OSBI tip line at 800-522-8017 or e-mail suggestions@osbi.okay.gov