Mother of missing girl, Melodee Buzzard, facing felony charge; daughter still missing

Mother of missing CA girl facing felony charge

Ashlee Buzzard, the mother of missing 9-year-old Melodee Buzzard, is facing a felony charge just days after being arrested in Santa Barbara County.

LOS ANGELES - Ashlee Buzzard, the mother of missing 9-year-old Melodee Buzzard, is facing a felony charge just days after being arrested in Santa Barbara County. 

Buzzard, 40, was charged with one count of felony false imprisonment for an incident that occurred in Lompoc on November 6, the district attorney's office announced Monday. According to officials, this incident is not directly related to Melodee’s disappearance.

Buzzard is currently in custody at the Santa Barbara County North Branch Jail, where she is being held on $100,000 bail. 

Meanwhile, the search continues for her 9-year-old daughter, who was last seen with Ashlee on October 9. Authorities previously stated that she is not cooperating with detectives in her daughter's missing person case.

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Search for Melodee continues 

The backstory:

Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s officials said they began investigating the case on Oct. 14 after a school administrator reported Melodee's prolonged absence. 

When deputies went to the family’s home in the 500 block of Mars Avenue in the Lompoc area, they found her mother, but not the little girl. In addition, there was no clear explanation for her whereabouts. 

Detectives released video footage taken on October 7, from a rental car facility in Lompoc. Officials say both Ashlee and Melodee were wearing wigs and even swapped wigs throughout the trip. Detectives say it appears they wore wigs to avoid being recognized. 

Melodee Buzzard's mother arrested on unrelated charges

As the search continues for 9-year-old Melodee Buzzard, her mother was arrested on unrelated charges.

Last week, investigators released new details in the investigation, revealing that the mother and daughter traveled across multiple states. Records indicate Melodee was last seen on Oct. 9 near the Colorado-Utah border.

RELATED: Melodee Buzzard disappearance: New surveillance photos show missing California girl, 9, in possible disguise

Timeline:

The sheriff's office released the following timeline of events. 

• Ashlee left California with Melodee on October 7, 2025, driving a rented white 2024 Chevrolet Malibu that initially displayed California license plate 9MNG101.
• Detectives believe Ashlee and Melodee traveled as far as Nebraska, with a return route that included Kansas.
• Beginning October 8, 2025, the Malibu was observed with a New York license plate: HCG9677. The plate does not belong to the vehicle or Ashlee and is believed to have been used as a false or switched plate to avoid detection. When the Malibu was returned to the Lompoc rental agency, the original California plate was back on the vehicle.
• Detectives have confirmed that Melodee was last seen on October 9, 2025, on video surveillance in the region between the Colorado–Utah border. Ashlee has continued to refuse cooperation and has not confirmed Melodee’s location or welfare.

Travel Route

Detectives believe they traveled through the following areas on or around October 9, 2025:

• Green River, Utah
• Panguitch, Utah
• Northwest Arizona
• Primm, Nevada
• Rancho Cucamonga, California

What you can do:

Melodee is considered at risk. She is described as 4 feet, 6 inches tall, weighing 60 pounds, with brown eyes and curly hair.

 Those with information about Melodee’s whereabouts are asked to contact the Santa Barbara Sheriff’s Office at 805-681-4150. Those who wish to submit tips anonymously can do so online.