CYRIL, Okla. (KFOR) — The remains of a child were found in rural Grady County, Oklahoma, as officials were searching for missing 4-year-old Athena Brownfield, according to the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation.

While the state law enforcement agency could not confirm the remains are those of Athena on Tuesday afternoon, they have been taken to the Medical Examiner’s office in Oklahoma City for positive identification.

New court documents are painting a gruesome picture of what might have happened to the missing 4-year-old.

For days, crews and volunteers have been searching for Athena in and around the town of Cyril. However, on Monday, officials with the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation said the search for the little girl had turned into a “recovery operation,” to find her remains.

Meanwhile, court documents provided more details about what may have happened to her.

Officials say 4-year-old Athena Brownfield was reported missing around 2 p.m. on Jan. 10 near the 200 block of W. Nebraska in Cyril. Investigators say it all began when a postal carrier reported finding Brownfield’s 5-year-old sister outside her home.

According to the arrest warrant affidavit, Athena’s 5-year-old sister told the postal carrier that she “had been home alone and she is tired of being alone.” At that point, the postal carrier reported the incident to police and they got in contact with Alysia Adams.

While speaking to police, the documents state that Alysia Adams asked officers where Athena was.

That’s when they realized the child was missing.

Court documents state that the children’s biological mother left the girls in the care of Alysia Adams and her husband, Ivon, for approximately 1.5-2 years.

However, officials say Alysia and Ivon Adams never took the children to the doctor for check-ups and did not enroll the 5-year-old in school.

OSBI agents arrested Alysia Adams on two complaints of child neglect.

The next day, authorities said Adams’ husband, Ivon Adams, was arrested in Phoenix, Arizona.

He is facing a first-degree murder charge and a child neglect charge.

According to the affidavit, Alysia Adams confessed that she knew that Athena was dead.

Court documents show that Alysia Adams told investigators that around midnight on Christmas Day, Ivon Adams beat Athena and held her up by her arms.

The report states that Athena “was not moving and her eyes were barely open. He then laid her on the ground and punched her at least three more times in the chest. (Athena) never moved after that.”

The affidavit states that Ivon Adams told Alysia that he buried Athena’s body.