Authorities have arrested Melody Buzzard’s mother more than three weeks after the 9-year-old was reported missing. But officials said the charges were not related to the ongoing search.
Ashley Buzzard, 40, of Vandenberg Village, was taken into custody by Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office deputies Friday on a felony warrant for false imprisonment.
Officials with the Sheriff’s Office said they learned of a “recent incident” in which Ashley Buzzard allegedly prevented the victim from leaving a location against her will. Officials said these charges constitute false imprisonment.
“This crime is not related to the ongoing search for Melody, however, investigators are unable to fully outline the crime as it would hinder their ongoing investigation,” the Sheriff’s Office said in a news release.
Ashley Buzzard has since been booked into the North Branch Jail in Santa Maria, where she remains in custody on $100,000 bail.
Melody Buzzard was reported missing last month after Lompoc Unified School District officials noticed the homeschooler had been absent for an extended period. Authorities attempted to contact Melody and her mother at their home in Vandenberg Village, a small community located next to the Space Force base that bears her name, but found only Ashley on the property and could not find a satisfactory explanation for her daughter’s whereabouts.
In the weeks that followed, more information was gathered regarding the days and weeks leading up to Melody’s last known sighting, including security footage from a car rental company in Lompoc in which Melody appeared to be wearing a wig with straight black hair. Previous photos published by authorities showed Melody with curly brown hair.
Investigators confirmed that Melody and Ashley embarked on a cross-country road trip to the Nebraska area in that rental car, and at some point, their rental car’s license plate was replaced with an unrelated plate from New York.
When Ashley returned home to Santa Barbara County, she was alone, and Melody’s current location or safety remains unknown. Its last known location was along the Colorado-Utah border, officials said earlier this week.
A map of reported vehicle stops has been released in the hope that members of those communities will have relevant information, including security footage, that they can provide to authorities.
While the arrest is not related to the ongoing investigation into Ashley’s daughter’s disappearance, in which Ashley has reportedly not cooperated, the alleged crime occurred sometime after the investigation began.
Sheriff’s officials said investigators remain “fully focused on locating Melody and ensuring her safety.”
Authorities described Melody Buzzard as a 9-year-old girl who stood about 4 feet, 6 inches tall and weighed 60 pounds. Her natural hair is brown and curly and she has brown eyes.
Anyone with information about Melody’s disappearance is urged to contact investigators at 805-681-4150. Anonymous tips can beProvided onlineOr by calling 805-681-4171.