(KRON) – Investigators on Friday arrested the mother of a missing California girl, 9-year-old Melody Buzzard.
Ashley Buzzard, 40, was arrested by Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office investigators on suspicion of felony false imprisonment. The sheriff’s office said the victim was not Melody, who is still missing.
“Sheriff’s investigators arrested 40-year-old Ashley Buzzard on charges unrelated to the ongoing search for her missing 9-year-old daughter. Detectives learned of a recent incident where Ashley prevented a victim from leaving a location, against their will, which constitutes false imprisonment,” the Sheriff’s Office wrote.
The mother was booked into jail on $100,000 bail.
Investigators declined to reveal further details about the alleged crime for which Ashley Buzzard was arrested. Investigators said they remain focused on finding Melody and making sure she is safe.
Before her disappearance in mid-October, Melody was homeschooled and living in Vandenberg Village near Lompoc, California. School district officials reported the girl’s “extended absence,” raising concerns.
On October 14, deputies went to the home of the mother and daughter on Mars Street. A search of the house confirmed that Melody was not there. Ashley Buzzard was “uncooperative” and refused to provide any information about her daughter’s current whereabouts or health, according to SBCSO.
Melody was seen with her mother on surveillance video on Oct. 7, when Ashley Buzzard rented a Chevrolet Malibu in Lompoc, the sheriff’s office said. While the couple was traveling outside California, the mother allegedly switched the Malibu license plate with a fake one.
The Sheriff’s Office released the following schedule:
- Ashlee Buzzard left California with Melodee on October 7 driving a rented white 2024 Chevrolet Malibu that initially displayed California license plate 9MNG101.
- Investigators believe Ashley and Melody traveled as far as Nebraska, with the return route including Kansas.
- On October 8, the Malibu was spotted with New York license plate: HCG9677. The plate does not belong to the car or Ashley, and is believed to have been used as a fake or altered plate to avoid detection. When the Malibu was returned to the Lompoc rental agency, the original California plate was returned to the car.
- Investigators confirmed that Melody was last seen on October 9, 2025, on video surveillance in the area between the Colorado and Utah border.
- Investigators believe the Malibu traveled through the following areas on or about October 9, 2025: Green River, Utah, Panguitch, Utah, Northwest Arizona, Primm, Nevada, and Rancho Cucamonga, California.
As of Friday afternoon, Melody remains considered a missing and endangered child. She is 4 feet 6 inches tall, weighs 60 pounds, and has curly brown hair.
FBI agents are assisting in the multi-state search. “In cases like this, every detail matters and having additional resources and specialized expertise is critical,” said Sheriff’s Lt. Chris Gottschall. “Collaborating with our federal partners allows us to ensure we use every tool available to help bring this case to a resolution.”
Members of the public who have seen Melody or who may have information about her whereabouts are urged to contact the Sheriff’s Office through the following methods:
• Detective line: 805-681-4150
• Online tips:www.sbsheriff.org/home/anonymous-tip/
• Anonymous tip line: 805-681-4171