Ashlee Buzzard in Custody for Unconnected Crimes; Urgent Search for 9-Year-Old Melodee Continues

Authorities in Santa Barbara County confirmed that Ashlee Buzzard, the mother of missing 9-year-old Melodee Buzzard, was taken into custody on Friday amid the ongoing investigation into her daughter’s disappearance.

Witnesses observed Buzzard being handcuffed and escorted by Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office personnel from her Vandenberg Village residence into a waiting patrol vehicle.

According to officials, Buzzard’s arrest stems from an unrelated felony charge of false imprisonment.

Investigators allege that she had unlawfully restrained another individual, preventing them from leaving a location against their will.

The Sheriff’s Office has not released further details regarding that separate incident, citing the ongoing nature of the investigation.

While Buzzard remains in custody, law enforcement emphasized that their primary focus continues to be the search for Melodee, who has been missing since mid-October.

Detectives began investigating Melodee’s disappearance on October 14, after the Lompoc Unified School District reported her prolonged absence from classes.

Authorities have since narrowed the timeline of interest to October 9–10, when Ashlee and Melodee were reportedly traveling together on a multi-state road trip to Nebraska.

Surveillance footage from October 9 shows Melodee near the Colorado–Utah border. However, when Ashlee returned home to California the following day, Melodee was no longer with her.

The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office continues to treat the case as an active missing person investigation and urges anyone with information regarding Melodee’s whereabouts to come forward.

Authorities stress that any piece of information, no matter how small, could be crucial in helping bring Melodee home safely.