USPS honors mail carrier who uncovered Athena Brownfield tragedy

CYRIL, Okla. (KFOR) - The United States Postal Service is honoring one rural Oklahoma mail carrier's heroic actions while on her route in Cyril that led to the discovery of 4-year-old Athena Brownfield's tragic death back in January.

Rural Carrier Maci Myers discovered Athena's 5-year-old sister wandering around her Cyril neighborhood alone on Jan. 10.

According to an affidavit, the little girl told Myers that she “had been home alone and she is tired of being alone.”

At that point, the postal carrier reported the incident to police.

From there, it was discovered that Athena was missing and a frantic search began.

During the investigation, her caretaker, Alysia Adams told authorities Ivon Adams beat Athena to death on Christmas day and buried her body on a rural Grady County property.

Since then, Ivon has been charged with First Degree Murder and Child Neglect, Alysia has been charged with Child Neglect and the girls' biological mother, Jasmin Brownfield has been charged with Child Neglect by Abandonment.

Now, that postal carrier who blew the case wide open is being acknowledged by the postal service.

"That simple act of compassion eventually led to the revelation of a terrible crime — and may have saved the life of the child, who was taken into protective custody," said the USPS news site, Link. "Myers and her husband helped in the search for the missing girl and raised money for the future care of the 5-year-old girl."

Myers will receive a letter of commendation through the Postmaster General Heroes’ Program.

Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night kept this courier from protecting her community.