The search for a missing Vandenberg Village girl has extended to Nebraska.
The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office announced Monday morning that detectives have confirmed Melodee Buzzard, 9, was seen with her mother, Ashlee Buzzard, as recently as Oct. 7.
The sheriff’s office states Ashlee may have driven her daughter in a rented White Chevrolet Malibu with a license plate number of 9MNG101 to locations as far as Nebraska. Authorities say Ashlee no longer has possession of the vehicle.
“At this point in the investigation, Ashlee Buzzard remains uncooperative and has not provided detectives with any information about Melodee’s current location or condition. The primary goal of this investigation is to verify the location and welfare of Melodee Buzzard and ensure that she is safe,” the sheriff’s office stated in a press release.
The search for Melodee began on Oct. 14 after a school administrator with the Lompoc Unified School District reported the girl’s absence from an independent studies program and notified authorities.
The sheriff’s office told KSBY a search warrant served at the mother’s home last week did not yield answers as to where the girl may be. Tips from the community are still being sought.
“This public outreach effort is one part of those ongoing efforts to develop information that could assist investigators,” the sheriff’s office stated.
A few dozen people showed up late Sunday afternoon outside of the mother’s home on Mars Avenue, hoping to push Ashlee to provide information on her daughter’s whereabouts.
While a sheriff’s office deputy told those in attendance that they did not believe Ashlee was in the home, neighbors disagreed, saying activity at the home over the past 24 hours told them otherwise.
In recent days, community members have discussed starting their own searches for the missing girl, but the sheriff’s office is asking people to refrain from doing so.
“Detectives are aware of the strong community interest in Melodee’s case and are asking the public not to attempt to conduct their own searches or investigations. While well-intentioned, these efforts could unintentionally interfere with investigative work already in progress. Detectives have already conducted a thorough search of the family’s residence and continue to follow verified leads in a coordinated manner,” the press release stated.
When Melodee’s disappearance was first announced by authorities the evening of Oct. 15, they said there had been no verified contact with the girl in about a year. A short time later, authorities updated that timeline, saying she was seen in August when enrolling for the independent study program with Lompoc Unified School District.
Authorities are now asking anyone who has seen Melodee or had contact with her mother since Oct. 7 to contact the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Criminal Investigations Division at (805) 681-4150. Anonymous tips can be made through the tip line at (805) 681-4171 or online at https://www.sbsheriff.org/home/anonymous-tip/.
According to the sheriff's office, the FBI began assisting with the investigation since Saturday.
