Authorities in California have arrested Ashlee Buzzard, the mother of 9-year-old Melodee Buzzard, whose disappearance last month continues to draw widespread concern.
Melodee was reported missing on October 14 after a school official raised an alarm about her “prolonged absence,” according to the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office. Investigators have been searching extensively for the child, though Ashlee has reportedly refused to cooperate.
While she has not been named a person of interest in her daughter’s disappearance, Ashlee was taken into custody on Friday, November 7, on false imprisonment charges in an unrelated case, the sheriff’s office confirmed. Officials declined to provide further details but said the charge involves allegations that Ashlee prevented a victim from leaving a location.
The arrest came one day after authorities released security footage showing Ashlee and Melodee together on October 7, around the time the young girl vanished.
Surveillance Footage and Disguise Allegations
Investigators previously shared still images from October 24, showing Melodee wearing a wig at a car rental business in California. Officers believe this was part of Ashlee’s attempt to disguise her daughter.
In a statement on Thursday, November 6, the sheriff’s office said Ashlee was also seen wearing a wig in the same footage. They allege she changed wigs multiple times throughout the trip, even choosing a darker wig resembling the one Melodee was wearing.
“This change in appearance is believed to have been intentional to avoid recognition during travel,” the sheriff’s office said.
In a short, 9-second video released by authorities, a woman identified as Ashlee is seen with blond, wavy hair, speaking to a girl in a gray hoodie whose back faces the camera. Police confirmed the child is Melodee in an “altered” appearance.
As Ashlee turns toward the counter holding a payment card, Melodee briefly faces the camera, folding her arms and looking ahead.
Just two days later, on October 9, the sheriff’s office said Melodee was last seen on surveillance footage near the Colorado–Utah border. Investigators also discovered that the rental car’s license plate had been swapped around October 8, which they believe was another effort by Ashlee to evade detection.
Family Pleas and Ongoing Search
Melodee’s disappearance remains a mystery. Her last verified contact was about a year ago, and the most recent known photo of her is two years old.
Ashlee’s mother, Lori Miranda, told KSBY she hadn’t seen or heard from her granddaughter in two years. Seeing the video of Melodee in a wig left her “totally numb and in shock.” She made a direct plea to Ashlee through WHSV, saying:
“You need to tell them where the baby is. You need to tell them who’s setting all these things up for you. I know you’re not doing it.”
Melodee’s father, Rubiell Meza, died in a car accident in 2016 when she was an infant. Her paternal aunt, Bridgett Truitt, told KEYT that Ashlee had cut off contact with Melodee’s paternal family years ago.
“All of us have tried. But we never stopped thinking about her or loving her or praying for her,” Truitt said.
Contact Information for Tips
Anyone with information about Melodee Buzzard’s whereabouts is urged to contact investigators through any of the following methods: