Mom may have taken girl out of state

New details emerge in case of 9-year-old who was reported missing in Lompoc.

- By Ciara HARTER

New details have emerged in the ongoing search for Melodee Buzzard, a missing 9-year-old Lompoc girl who authorities now say Was seen as recently as Oct. 7 and may have been driven to Nebraska by her mother.

Melodee’s mother, Ashlee Buzzard, refuses to cooperate with authorities or answer questions about her daughter's location or condition, according to the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office. Family members on the girl's father’s side say they haven't seen her in years.

When Melodee was first reported missing by school authorities Oct. 14, the Sheriff’s Office could not confirm any sightings of the girl within the last year. Since then, detectives, with assistance from the FBI, have narrowed the window considerably.

“Detectives have gathered evidence indicating that Melodee was with her mother, Ashlee Buzzard, as recently as October 7, 2025,” the Sheriff's Office said in a Monday morning update. “Detectives have also determined that Ashlee may have driven with Melodee in a White Chevrolet Malibu to locations outside of Santa Barbara County to include as far as the state of Nebraska.”

The Times has not been able to reach Buzzard for comment.

The vehicle, with license plate number 9MNGI01, was a rental car and is no longer in Buzzard’s possession, according to the Sheriff's Office.