The Federal Bureau of Investigation has now officially joined the search for a missing 9-year-old California girl who no one has seen since August. The FBI announced they would assist Santa Barbara County sheriff’s detectives in searching for Melodee, who lives with her mother, Ashley Buzzard, in Vandenberg Village.
There’s nothing more frightening as a parent than a missing child. When a kid seemingly vanishes without a trace, the unknown can trigger anxiety and fear, taking a significant psychological toll. However, if we’re being honest and transparent, when something like this happens, there’s a high probability a parent is involved in the disappearance.
And Buzzard is not doing herself any favors in that department, as reports indicate she refuses to cooperate with law enforcement officials investigating Melodee’s disappearance.
Employees with the Lompoc Unified School District last saw the young girl in August, when Buzzard enrolled her daughter in an independent study program. However, Melodee, who is homeschooled, never picked up any of the assignments.
The FBI is assisting Sheriff’s Detectives with @sbsheriff
who are continuing their search for 9-year-old Melodee Buzzard.Details: https://t.co/sGA1v6KiYY
As always, the FBI can be reached 24 hours a day at 1 800 CALL-FBI or online at https://t.co/a8bqmmwqXT. pic.twitter.com/UEGcoVzyyD
— FBI Los Angeles (@FBILosAngeles) October 20, 2025
“With the assistance of Lompoc Unified School District, detectives have confirmed that Melodee was seen as recently as August 2025,” the sheriff’s office said about the case.
When police officials arrived at Buzzard’s home on the 500 block of Mars Avenue, they interviewed the girl’s mother, but they couldn’t find the child anywhere. They have since returned to the residence for follow-ups, but they still have not been able to locate the girl, nor has Buzzard provided valid explanations for their questions.
Police carried out a search warrant at the home.
Buzzard is a single mother; Melodee’s father died in a motorcycle crash when she was just an infant. Relatives have expressed concern about Buzzard’s mental state, revealing they haven’t seen Melodee in four years.
“I am horrified for my little niece, I can’t imagine what she’s gone through,” Vicky Shade, Melodee’s aunt, said in an interview with the Los Angeles Times. “This does not sound good. I just want to know if she’s OK. We need to find her.”
“Ashlee is mentally unstable and my mom tried to get custody or at least grandparent rights to visit Melodee because she [Ashlee] wasn’t letting our side of the family see her,” she added.
Buzzard’s neighbors say they’ve seen the single mother at home, while deputies say she continues to be uncooperative with the investigation.
“Besides the garage been open almost 48 hours, which, we don’t know if she knows or not, she was burning something in the fireplace last night, but paper was coming out,” the daughter of a next door neighbor revealed.
As of this writing, the sheriff’s office says they have not classified the disappearance as a criminal investigation.
When you add up the clues thus far, it doesn’t look good for Buzzard. A single mother who refuses to cooperate about her daughter’s disappearance looks extremely suspicious. Add to that the concerns of family members over her mental health and you have legitimate reason to fear for the child’s safety.
Let’s hope this investigation brings Melodee back home alive and healthy.
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