Athena Brownfield: Cops Actively Search For Missing 4-Year-Old Oklahoma Girl

Oklahoma authorities are searching for a 4-year-old girl who went missing earlier this week, urging people to share any relevant information they may have.

The search for Athena Brownfield, from Cyril, began Tuesday after a postal carrier found her elder sister, 5, unattended outside their home on W. Nebraska Ave that same day and reported the Cyril Police Department, according to Kansas City Star.

Since taking over the investigation, Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (OSBI) and Oklahoma Highway Patrol (OHP) have been canvassing the area near the children's home, searching vacant houses and waterways, and flying drones and helicopters with infrared cameras to detect body heat in a bid to locate the missing child, Chickasha Express-Star reported.

OHP Trooper Eric Foster told the outlet that the emergency response team conducted a grid search in different parts of the city on foot but found no trace of Brownfield.

"Today at 4 p.m., 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 town, every known vacant house, and local waterways," OSBI said in a statement Wednesday, as per WCCS.

"This is a very active and ongoing investigation, and right now our top priority is locating her. And sorting out who's responsible will come next," Brook Arbeitman with the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation told KOCO-TV. "We need to find this little girl. She's on her own in the elements. So, is that endangered? Yeah. But is she the victim of physical harm? That's yet to be determined."

Brownfield is three feet tall and weighs 45 pounds. The girl, with brown hair and blue eyes, was last seen wearing a pink butterfly sweater and pink pants, News Channel 6 reported, citing an OHP Endangered Missing Advisory. OSBI added Brownfield has limited verbal skills.

Police are working to put together a timeline for the disappearance of Brownfield. Her sister, meanwhile, has been placed in protective custody. Details regarding the girl's parents were not provided by the authorities

Authorities are interviewing locals and investigating surveillance footage in the area, as well as urging residents to turn over their doorbell camera recordings to the cops to assist in the search.