Search for missing 9-year-old centers on road trip with mother, who police say is ‘uncooperative’

A school administrator raised the alarm after a 9-year-old girl, Melodee Buzzard, had not been seen for several months. When deputies arrived at her home in Lompoc, California, they found her mother, Ashlee Buzzard, but Melodee was missing.

Authorities are now trying to piece together what happened — including why Ashlee allegedly drove from California to Nebraska in a rental car and why her daughter was seen in surveillance photos wearing a wig and hooded sweatshirt, apparently in disguise.

Investigators believe the last confirmed sighting of Melodee was on October 7, 2025, when she was with her mother. However, Ashlee has been described by the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office as “uncooperative” in the search for her missing child.

Narrowing the timeline

The investigation intensified after Melodee’s school reported her prolonged absence on October 14, prompting deputies to visit the family’s home. They found no sign of the child and received no credible explanation for her whereabouts.

Detectives have since focused on a three-day window — October 7 to October 10 — as critical to understanding when and where Melodee disappeared. Surveillance images from October 7 show her at a car rental agency, wearing a wig and hoodie.

According to the FBI, Ashlee rented a white Chevrolet Malibu (license plate #9MNG101) and drove with Melodee across several states, reaching as far as Nebraska and stopping in Kansas on the return trip. On October 10, Ashlee returned to Lompoc — but Melodee was no longer with her.

Ongoing search and family plea

Law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, continue to pursue leads and believe Melodee may be staying with someone unaware she has been reported missing.

“We are hopeful that Melodee might be with someone — perhaps an extended family member or friend — who may not know the situation,” said Sheriff Bill Brown.

A vigil was held in Lompoc on Friday, where family members pleaded for the girl’s safe return.
“If she’s listening, we love you,” said her grandmother, Lilly Denes. “Call me. There are numbers on the TV you can call, and I’ll come get you.”

Melodee’s father died in a motorcycle accident when she was just six months old, according to local reports. Her aunt, Lizabeth Meza, told NewsNation she hasn’t seen Melodee in four years but recognized her niece’s features in the surveillance photos.

The FBI describes Melodee as 4’0” to 4’6” tall, weighing 60 to 100 pounds, and last seen in 2023 photos.

“Our detectives are following every lead,” said Sheriff Brown. “We remain determined to bring Melodee home safely.”