Four-year-old Athena Brownfield was beaten to death on Christmas Day by the man she called "uncle" and "dad," authorities said.
Four-year-old Athena Brownfield was memorialized as a sweet girl who loved the color purple by family, friends and strangers who drove hours in bad weather to pay tribute to her.
"The events surrounding the untimely death of this little 4-year-old girl are heartbreaking and she deserves to be remembered in the correct way and with dignity," said Oklahoma Highway Patrol Trooper Eric Foster.
Republican state Sen. Roger Thompson said he had not met the little girl in life, but like many others, was touched and heartbroken to learn of her killing.
“Why did God allow this to happen, and I want you to know that’s not wrong to ask," he said from a stage laden with purple flowers, stuffed animals and a tiny bicycle. "Those who knew Athena, and you think about her, and you think about the good times they know that these came from God and every bit of good in our lives is an ultimate gift from God,” Thompson said.
Notes were left onstage at the Stride Bank Center in Enid. One read, "Taken too soon from this evil world."
Athena was beaten to death on Christmas Day by a man she called "uncle" and "dad," authorities said. The girl's caretakers, Ivon Adams and Alysia Adams, have been arrested in connection with her slaying.
Ivon Adams is charged with first-degree murder and child neglect. He is being held without bail, according to online records. Alysia Adams is charged with two counts of child neglect.
Neither have entered pleas.
In an arrest warrant affidavit, authorities said Alysia had told investigators her estranged husband beat the child on Christmas Day until she no longer moved. Ivon Adams left the next day with the girl, and later said he had buried her near a home where the couple used to live and covered the site with a tree branch, the affidavit alleged.
Her 5-year-old sister, who was found frightened and wandering alone on Jan. 10, alerted authorities to the fact that Athena was missing. After nearly a week of searching, state agents announced the investigation had become a "recovery" operation.
On Jan. 17, a child's remains were found not far from the home where Athena and her sister lived with the couple. Authorities have not said why the girls were not living with their biological parents. The 5-year-old has been placed in protective custody, authorities said.
In an online obituary, Athena's favorite things were listed as coloring, playing dress-up, singing "Baby Shark" and anything that was purple.
“Raised in Nebraska and later Oklahoma, Athena loved to color, she loved Baby Shark... she and her sister were very close, joined at the hip loved playing dress up and you can tell today that her favorite color was purple,” Thompson said.
A mourner who came to honor Athena told a local station, "A lot of us have kids. It’s very emotional. I have a four-year-old little girl, so it hits home when there’s babies involved, and kids involved. It’s tough definitely. It hits home for a lot of people."
The remains found earlier this month are being autopsied in Oklahoma City, authorities said. A formal identification is pending.
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