Melodee Buzzard's mother arrested on charge unrelated to her daughter's disappearance

Authorities successful California arrested the parent of a missing "at-risk" 9-year-old miss connected a complaint unrelated to her daughter's disappearance.

The Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office said Ashlee Buzzard, the 40-year-old parent of Melodee Buzzard of Lompoc, was taken into custody connected Friday for a felony complaint of mendacious imprisonment. 

A video captured by a witnesser showed instrumentality enforcement starring Ashlee Buzzard distant from a home.

"Detectives learned of a caller incidental wherever Ashlee prevented a unfortunate from leaving a location, against their volition which constitutes mendacious imprisonment. This transgression is not connected to the ongoing hunt for Melodee, however, detectives are incapable to afloat outline the transgression arsenic it would impede their ongoing investigation," the sheriff’s bureau said.

CAR USED BY MISSING CALIFORNIA GIRL'S MOTHER ON ROAD TRIP HAD LICENSE PLATES SWAPPED TO ‘AVOID DETECTION’

Melodee was past seen via video surveillance successful aboriginal October during a roadworthy travel with her mother. The brace is believed to person traveled arsenic acold arsenic Nebraska, officials said. The rental car she was traveling successful had its licence plates swapped "to debar detection," authorities antecedently revealed.

Ashlee Buzzard, left, and her daughter, Melodee Buzzard, right, are seen successful a surveillance representation taken astatine a rental car concern successful Lompoc, Calif., connected Oct. 7, 2025. (Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office)

Ashlee Buzzard had her bail acceptable astatine $100,000 aft being booked into the Northern Branch Jail successful Santa Barbara County.

"Although this apprehension occurred during the people of the missing idiosyncratic investigation, it is not straight related to Melodee’s disappearance. Sheriff’s detectives stay afloat focused connected locating Melodee and confirming her safety," the sheriff’s bureau said.

Investigators besides released video Thursday showing Ashlee and Melodee Buzzard astatine a rental car determination successful Lompoc, Calif., connected Oct. 7.

MELODEE BUZZARD DISAPPEARANCE: FBI, DETECTIVES EXECUTE SEARCH WARRANTS AS 'AT-RISK' 9-YEAR-OLD REMAINS MISSING

A surveillance representation shows Ashlee and Melodee Buzzard astatine a rental car determination successful Lompoc, Calif., astatine the commencement of the roadworthy travel connected Oct. 7, 2025. On the right, Melodee Buzzard is seen successful a photograph that the FBI says was taken successful 2023. (Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office/FBI)

"The footage corresponds to antecedently released inactive images and shows some Ashlee and Melodee wearing wigs. Investigators besides judge that Ashlee swapped wigs passim the trip, changing to a darker wig that is akin successful colour and benignant to the 1 Melodee was seen wearing. This alteration successful quality is believed to person been intentional to debar designation during travel," the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office said.

The Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office antecedently said its probe into the disappearance of Melodee Buzzard began connected Oct. 14 aft a schoolhouse head reported her extended absence. Deputies past responded to her location successful Lompoc and encountered her mother, Ashlee, but "Melodee was not astatine the home, and nary verifiable mentation for her whereabouts was provided," according to the office.

The Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office released an representation of Melodee Buzzard "captured astatine a section car rental concern connected October 7." (Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office )

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Melodee Buzzard is described by constabulary arsenic being "around 4 feet, 6 inches gangly and weighing astir 60 pounds with brownish hairsbreadth and brownish eyes. 

The FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office is assisting successful the search, and detectives person described the kid arsenic being "at-risk."