vanished under mysterious circumstances. Authorities have now confirmed that her body has been found. Video taken by a neighbor shows a deeply distressing scene unfolding on Tuesday.
Around 7:40 a.m., Melodee's mother, Ashlee Buzzard, 40, was seen being led out of her Lompoc home in handcuffs by deputies from the Santa Barbara Sheriff's Department. In the footage, the short, blonde-haired woman is seen in jeans, a white T-shirt and black heeled boots as she is led to a police vehicle — a moment that underscores the devastating turn in a case that has shaken the community.
Ending in Tragedy
It remains unclear whether Ashlee Buzzard's arrest is related to the disappearance of her nine-year-old daughter. However, the neighbor who shot the video said deputies forced their way into the home after she failed to answer the door. The Santa Barbara Sheriff's Office is expected to provide an official update at 5 p.m. EST, as investigators prepare to share more details about the development in the case.
Melodee was reported missing on October 14 by a school administrator, though authorities later confirmed she was last seen on surveillance footage with her mother on October 9.
Relatives have since revealed they had not seen the child for more than a year, and said they were deeply worried about Ashlee's mental health.
Ashlee has refused to cooperate with investigators or provide any information about her daughter's disappearance, leaving authorities in the dark for months about Melodee's whereabouts and safety, according to family members.
"Ashlee Buzzard remains uncooperative and has not provided detectives with any information about Melodee's current location or condition," police said in October.
"The primary goal of this investigation is to verify the location and welfare of Melodee Buzzard and ensure that she is safe."
Mom the Prime Suspect
Detectives with the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office said Melodee was last known to be with her mother as recently as October 7, and investigators believe the pair may have traveled as far as Nebraska, according to authorities.
They were seen making multiple stops along the way in a rented white Chevrolet Malibu, at times wearing wigs in what investigators believe may have been an effort to avoid recognition. Buzzard later returned to Santa Barbara and dropped off the rental vehicle.
Sheriff's investigators have since mapped out a possible route, saying the mother and daughter may have left their Lompoc home and traveled more than 1,500 miles to Nebraska.
Detectives believe they began heading back the next day, but the Malibu was later spotted bearing a New York license plate — one that authorities say did not belong to the rental car or to Buzzard.
Investigators now believe the vehicle passed through several small towns on October 9, including Green River and Panguitch in Utah, parts of northwest Arizona, Primm in Nevada, and Rancho Cucamonga in California, as they work to piece together the final movements in the case.
Lizabeth Meza, Melodee's aunt, previously told the Daily Mail that Buzzard had lost custody of her daughter in the past due to struggles with her mental health. She also claimed that Buzzard had acknowledged a history of psychological issues within her family.
According to reports, Buzzard had also faced serious financial difficulties, at one point filing for bankruptcy after amassing debts of around $23,000.
