**Mother of Missing California Girl Arrested on Unrelated Felony Charge**

The mother of a missing 9-year-old California girl, Melodee Buzzard, was arrested Friday on a felony charge of false imprisonment. However, officials say the arrest is not directly connected to the ongoing search for her daughter.

Investigators looking into Melodee’s disappearance discovered that her mother, Ashlee Buzzard, had recently “prevented a victim from leaving a location against their will,” according to a news release from the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office. Authorities stressed that “this crime is not connected to the search for Melodee,” and declined to share further details so as not to impede the investigation. The identity of the victim in the false imprisonment case has not been released.

The arrest comes about a week after the FBI served search warrants on Buzzard’s home, a storage locker, and the rental car in which Melodee was last seen. The high-profile search for Melodee has drawn national attention. Investigators have shared surveillance images showing the child in apparent disguise—a hoodie pulled over her head and a wig at a car rental agency last month.

According to officials, Ashlee Buzzard swapped wigs throughout the trip, possibly “to avoid recognition during travel.” Over the course of three days, Buzzard and her daughter traveled through Nebraska, Utah, Arizona, Nevada, and Kansas in a rental car, which was observed at times with “a false or switched” license plate.

The rental car returned to the family’s home in Lompoc, California—about 55 miles northwest of Santa Barbara—on October 10, with Ashlee Buzzard driving. Melodee was not seen in the car. The last confirmed sighting of the child was the previous day, captured on video surveillance near the Colorado-Utah state line.

Melodee was reported missing on October 14 by a school administrator concerned about her extended absence—not by a family member. When authorities visited the mother’s home, Melodee was not there and no verifiable explanation for her whereabouts was given. Officials also noted that Ashlee Buzzard has remained uncooperative and has not provided any confirmation regarding Melodee’s location or welfare.

While Ashlee Buzzard’s arrest occurred during the missing persons investigation, the sheriff’s office emphasized, “it is not directly related to Melodee’s disappearance.” Detectives remain focused on locating Melodee and confirming her safety.

Anyone who has seen Melodee or has information about her whereabouts is urged to contact the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office or leave an anonymous tip.

It is not immediately clear whether Ashlee Buzzard has an attorney. She will be booked at Santa Barbara County jail, where bail is set at $100,000, officials said.
https://www.mercurynews.com/2025/11/09/mother-of-missing-9-year-old-melodee-buzzard-is-arrested-authorities-say-its-not-related-to-her-daughters-disappearance/