Mother of Missing California Girl Arrested on Unrelated False Imprisonment Charge

Missing Child Case and Mother's Arrest

• 📌 A 9-year-old girl, Melodee Buzzard, from Lompoc, California, has been missing for over three weeks.
• 🚨 Her mother, Ashley Buzzard, has been arrested, but the charges are unrelated to the disappearance of her daughter.

False Imprisonment Charge

• ⚠️ Investigators learned that Ashley Buzzard prevented a person from leaving a location against their will, constituting false imprisonment.
• ⚖️ This arrest is intended to give law enforcement leverage in the ongoing search for Melodee.

Investigation into Melodee's Disappearance

• 📅 The case began on October 14th when school officials reported Melodee's prolonged absence.
• 🕵️ Surveillance footage from October 7th showed Ashley and Melodee wearing wigs as they left Lompoc in a rented car.
• 🗺️ The vehicle was tracked across multiple states including Nebraska, Kansas, Utah, and Nevada.
• 🏠 Ashley Buzzard eventually returned home alone, providing no information about her daughter's whereabouts or well-being.
• 🚫 She was also seen tearing down missing person posters and moving boxes from their home.

Concerns and Current Status

• 😟 Some fear Melodee may not be alive, but authorities lack sufficient evidence for a murder charge, such as a body or murder weapon.
• 🔍 The FBI is now involved in the case.
• 💰 Ashley Buzzard was booked into county jail with bail set at $100,000.
• 👨‍👧 Melodee's father is deceased.