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Police have launched a desperate search for four-year-old Athena Brownfield, who was reported missing by a postal worker after finding the girl’s sister unattended near her home in Cyril, Oklahoma, earlier this week.
Athena was reported missing around 2 p.m. Tuesday. The postman called the police after they found another child, later determined to be Athena’s five-year-old sister, wandering outside the house alone.
The massive search continued through Tuesday night and into Wednesday, but Athena is still missing and while the community has questioned where the parents were, authorities say locating the boy is their top priority.
The Oklahoma Highway Patrol (OHP) and the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (OSBI) have deployed infrared helicopters, four-wheelers, boats and ground personnel to search the surrounding area, according to the Oklahoma police officer. OHP, Eric Foster.
“Our Emergency Response Team (ERT), which is specially trained to go on foot looking for people and things, is coordinating with the civilians who have come and wanted to volunteer their time and effort,” Foster said during a press conference on Wednesday. afternoon, FOX 25 reported.
The office’s PIO, Brook Arbeitman, confirmed this information, adding: ‘We are still very actively looking for her using all of our tools. We’re finding things that we hope might give us clues as to where she is, but we’re still actively looking for her.
Athena Brownfield was reported missing around 2 p.m. Tuesday. A ground search of the area was unsuccessful. Police are asking for help from anyone with doorbell or imaging cameras.
A locator map of missing Athena Brownfield
Authorities also used dogs from the Oklahoma Department of Corrections to assist in the search, the report noted.
“This is a very active and ongoing investigation, and right now our top priority is locating her. And determining who is responsible will come later. 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 bodily harm? That is yet to be determined.
This ground search continued through Wednesday, but concluded after volunteers searched “the entire city,” Arbeitman said.
He added: ‘Today at 4pm, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol (OHP) Emergency Response Team (ERT) concluded a grid search with local volunteers. Those volunteers have been released after searching the entire city, every known vacant home, and local waterways,” OSBI added in a separate statement Wednesday afternoon.
“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.”
The Oklahoma Highway Patrol and the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation have deployed infrared helicopters, four-wheelers, boats and ground personnel to search the surrounding area, according to OHP Trooper Eric Foster.
Athena was reported missing after a postal worker found her five-year-old sister alone near her residence in Cyril, about 70 miles southwest of Oklahoma City.
The older girl was described as frightened but did not require medical attention.
It is unclear how long she was missing before she was reported missing.
“We are still working to put together an exact timeline,” Arbeitman said.
Details about the property 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’s part of the ongoing investigation,” Arbeitman said Wednesday morning when asked who was supposed to be watching the girls, according to KOCO News.
Law enforcement officials continue to conduct interviews and review surveillance video in the area. They are also asking anyone with doorbell cameras or footage of the area near the 200 block of West Nebraska to turn it in.
The five-year-old boy has been taken into protective custody.
Several details about the four-year-old boy, who authorities initially said was three but have since corrected, remain unknown. Foster said an Amber Alert has not been issued because his disappearance does not meet specific guidelines.
He added: ‘Not all parts of that guideline 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 footage of the area near the 200 block of West Nebraska to turn it in.
“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 also 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