The mother of 9-year-old Melodee Buzzard, who has been missing since early October, was arrested Friday by Santa Barbara County sheriff’s deputies, but officials said the arrest was unrelated to her daughter’s disappearance.
Melodee was last seen in August but was reported missing more recently when Lompoc Unified School District officials reported her prolonged absence. Deputies searched the girl’s home in Vandenberg Village and spoke to her mother, but said the young girl was nowhere to be seen and that her mother was uncooperative in the investigation.
On Friday, Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s officials announced Ashlee Buzzard was taken into custody after she allegedly prevented a victim from leaving a location.
Sheriff’s officials offered no more details about the arrest except to say in a statement that it was not connected to the search for Melodee.
“This crime is not connected to the ongoing search for Melodee, however, detectives are unable to fully outline the crime as it would impede their ongoing investigation,” the statement said.
The arrest, officials said, occurred during the course of the missing person investigation, officials said.
Buzzard was expected to be booked at Northern Branch Jail with bail set at $100,000, the sheriff’s department said in the statement.
The FBI has joined local law enforcement in the search for the 9-year-old girl. On Thursday, Ashlee Buzzard was escorted off the property as federal and local officials searched the girl’s Santa Barbara County home, on the 500 block of Mars Avenue, looking for clues to her whereabouts.
Lompoc school district officials reached out to the sheriff’s office on Oct. 14 after Melodee had been absent for some time.
Officials then released surveillance video that appeared to show Ashlee Buzzard and her daughter at a car rental business Oct. 7.
Officials believe Ashlee Buzzard took her daughter and drove to Nebraska, passing through Kansas along the way.
Buzzard returned to the Vandenberg Village home Oct. 10, officials said.
Sheriff‘s officials released surveillance photos showing the mother and daughter at a car rental business, where Melodee was seen wearing a hooded sweatshirt. Officials said the girl appeared to be wearing a wig with darker and straighter hair than her natural hair.
Officials believe her mother rented a white Chevrolet Malibu.
