New photos released by California authorities appear to show missing 9-year-old Melodee Buzzard possibly in disguise as the search for the child stretches into a second week with few answers.
The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office said the image of the girl – her hood pulled tight, her hair hidden beneath a dark wig – was captured October 7 at a Lompoc car rental business, days before she vanished.
The search for Melodee began on October 14, after a school board official notified officers about her “prolonged absence,” according to a statement.
Deputies who went to the family’s home found in Lompoc said they spoke with the child’s mother, 35-year-old Ashlee Buzzard, and that while the child was not home, “no verifiable explanation for [Melodee’s] whereabouts was provided,” officials said.
The new surveillance photos now place Melodee with her mother shortly before both disappeared on what appears to have been a multi-state road trip.
Investigators have narrowed the critical timeline to between October 7 and October 10, when Buzzard is believed to have driven from Lompoc to Nebraska and back in a white Chevrolet Malibu rental car.
“Investigators understand that this three-day road trip went from Lompoc to the Nebraska area, with the return trip including the state of Kansas,” the sheriff’s office said. “Detectives are now focused on determining where Melodee was during those three days and where she may be now.”
The FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office is assisting in the search, confirming that Melodee “may have been with her mother as recently as October 7” and that Ashlee “may have driven with Melodee … as far as the state of Nebraska.” The rental car is no longer in the mother’s possession.
Investigators said they believe the wig worn by Melodee in the photos may have been used to alter her appearance. They also noted that her mother is known to wear wigs.
Melodee is considered at-risk due to her age and the length of her absence.
“Our detectives are following every lead in this case. We continue to seek information from the public that could help us find Melodee,” Santa Barbara County Sheriff Bill Brown said. “We remain determined to bring her home safely.”
Authorities say Buzzard has been uncooperative and has not provided any information about her daughter’s whereabouts.
“The Sheriff’s Office shares the community’s concern for Melodee’s safety and is committed to bringing her home,” Sheriff Brown added.
“We are hopeful that Melodee might be with someone – perhaps an extended family member or friend – who may not be aware of the circumstances of her disappearance.”
Melodee is described as about 4 feet, 6 inches tall, weighing 60 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes.
Anyone with information about the child’s disappearance or location are encouraged to contact detectives at (805) 681-4150 or use an anonymous tip line at (805) 681-4171. The public can also submit tips online at SBSheriff.org.
