Alysia Adams, a woman from Caddo County, Oklahoma, declined to plead guilty on Wednesday to the murder of 4-year-old Athena Brownfield, reversing her decision moments before a scheduled court hearing. The unexpected move has reinstated the possibility of the death penalty if she is found guilty at trial.
Athena's grandparents had traveled four hours to attend the hearing, anticipating a guilty plea from Adams. "Very disappointed; we have been patiently waiting for almost 22 months for some sort of justice for our granddaughters, and it's postponed again. Justice keeps getting postponed," said Misty Faircloth, Athena's maternal grandmother.
In January 2023, Alysia Adams and her estranged husband, Ivon Adams, were arrested after Athena, who was in their care, went missing. Following their questioning, agents from the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (OSBI) discovered Athena's body in a shallow grave in Rush Springs. Investigators allege that Ivon Adams beat her to death on Christmas Day in 2022. A medical examiner later concluded that Athena died from pneumonia and malnutrition, weighing only 23 pounds at the time of her death.
Alysia Adams' social media posts in the days following Athena's death showed her attending social events and spending time with a new boyfriend.
The plea deal, set to be considered at Wednesday's hearing, was taken off the table by Adams just minutes before proceedings were scheduled to begin. District Attorney Jason Hicks announced in court that he would have withdrawn his request for the death penalty if she had pleaded guilty. With the plea deal now void, Hicks stated he plans to seek the death penalty at trial.
Legal experts noted the rarity of such a last-minute decision. "This is a decision that few people really ever have to realize what they're doing and the ramifications of such," said Oklahoma City criminal defense attorney Robert Gifford. He suggested that Adams may have changed her mind due to a belief in her innocence or the gravity of the decision.
Gifford explained that the plea withdrawal opens the door for a lengthy and complex trial process. "You don't go into a death penalty case like you would any other case. You have to have enough resources. You have to have investigators. You have to have a mitigation specialist," he said, emphasizing the extensive preparation required for such cases.
The case has already garnered significant media attention, which could complicate the selection of an unbiased jury. Gifford highlighted the challenges ahead, stating that the defense would need to navigate the heightened scrutiny and public interest.
Athena's disappearance on January 10, 2023, prompted a massive search after a postal carrier found her older sister, Adina, wandering outside their home in Cyril, Oklahoma, about 70 miles southwest of Oklahoma City. The 5-year-old told the carrier she had been alone and was tired, leading to the involvement of law enforcement.
The search concluded a week later when OSBI agents recovered Athena's remains. Her body was found inside a zipped black backpack buried in a shallow grave in a field. Initially, prosecutors believed Athena had been beaten to death based on statements from Alysia Adams about her husband. However, the autopsy found no evidence of assault, leading to a revision of the charges.
Ivon Adams, 38, now faces charges of second-degree murder, child neglect for leaving Athena's sister without supervision, and unlawful removal of a dead body for allegedly burying Athena. The punishment for second-degree murder in Oklahoma ranges from 10 years to life in prison.
Alysia Adams is charged with first-degree murder, a felony count of child neglect concerning Athena's sister, and a misdemeanor count of obstruction of a public officer related to her statements about her husband.
The sisters had been left in the care of the Adamses by their mother, identified as Jasmin Brownfield, in April 2021. Brownfield, who has since legally changed her name to Karma Tucker, faces two felony counts of child neglect by abandonment. Brownfield was arrested in May of last year, facing charges of abandonment. According to an affidavit, she left Athena and her sister with Alysia and Ivon Adams in 2021, citing concerns that she and the children’s biological father were unfit to care for them. Officials reported that Jasmin Brownfield failed to check on the girls, provide child support, or notify authorities of any custody changes. She is scheduled for a court appearance on January 8.
With the plea deal withdrawn, both the prosecution and defense are preparing for a trial that could potentially result in the death penalty for Alysia Adams.
Oklahoma has executed only three women since the reinstatement of the death penalty, all by lethal injection in 2001.
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