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Missing Melodee Buzzard’s mother arrested

November 7, 2025

Melodee and Ashlee Buzzard

By KAREN VELIE

Santa Barbara County deputies on Friday arrested 40-year-old Ashlee Buzzard, the mother of missing 9-year-old Melodee Buzzard, on charges unrelated to the search for Melodee.

Ashlee Buzzard allegedly prevented a victim from leaving an undisclosed location, against their will, which constitutes false imprisonment. Detectives are unable to fully outline the crime because it could impede their ongoing investigation.

Deputies plan to book Ashlee Buzzard in Northern Branch Jail with her bail set at $100,000.

A school administrator reported Melodee’s prolonged absence on Oct. 14. Deputies attempted to locate Melodee at her home in Lompoc, but she was not there. Ashlee Buzzard is not cooperating with investigators and has refused to say where Melodee is or how she is doing.

On Oct. 7, Ashlee Buzzard left with Melodee in a rental car to locations out of the area, including Nebraska. The Chevrolet Malibu initially had a California license plate 9MNG101.

During the return trip from Nebraska, on Oct. 8, the Malibu was observed with a New York license plate HCG9677. It is unknown when the plate was installed or whether additional plates were used at other times during travel.

Investigators believe it was used as a false or switched plate to avoid detection. When the vehicle was
returned to the rental agency in Lompoc, the assigned California plate was back on the vehicle.

In addition, detectives reported that Melodee was last seen along the return route via video
surveillance on Oct. 9, in the region between the Colorado and Utah border.

Detectives, with the help of the FBI, continue to search for Melodee. Investigators are asking anyone who may have seen Melodee or had any contact with her in the past year to call (805) 681-4150.

 


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Automatic License Plate Reader (ALPD) Sites https://deflock.me


1

I think she sold the kid.


20

This whole thing is extremely strange


34

Where was the NY plate detected. What car did it come from? Are rental cars tracked by GPS (I would think so)? Do the cops have bank/cell phone/internet records?


4

Just goes to show how crucial and important our school staff really are. These are the people that take care of and look out for our kids. They really should be getting paid more :/


-5

Have you looked at Transparent California?, not only are many administrators paid enough if not way too much, there are way too many in administration.


6