Update: Surveillance Footage Shows Missing Lompoc 9-Year-Old on Day of Disappearance

Newly released surveillance footage shows the missing at-risk girl from Lompoc days before her disappearance. The Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) has joined the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office in their investigation.

Nine-year-old Melodee Buzzard was last contacted about a year ago, the Sheriff’s office stated on October 15, 2025. Her most recent photograph was taken two years ago. 

The investigation began on October 14, 2025, after a school administrator reported Buzzard’s prolonged absence. With the assistance of Lompoc Unified School District, detectives have confirmed that Melodee was seen as recently as August 2025.

“Lompoc Unified School District deserves credit for recognizing that something wasn’t right, reaching out, and continuing to assist with this investigation” said Lieutenant Chris Gotschall from the Criminal Investigations Division. He added, “This important update helps narrow a significant gap in the timeline of when she was last known to be seen and because of that, we’re closer to understanding what happened to Melodee.”

Deputies contacted her mother, 35-year-old Ashlee Buzzard, at their residence in the 500 block of Mars Avenue. The Sheriff’s Office said Buzzard’s daughter was not found at her home, and no clear explanation was given about her whereabouts. 

Detectives have also determined that Ashlee may have driven with Melodee in a White Chevrolet Malibu (Lic #9MNG101) to locations outside of Santa Barbara County to include as far as the state of Nebraska. The vehicle was determined to be a rental car no longer in Ashlee’s possession.

Detectives have also narrowed the critical timeline to between October 7 and October 10, 2025. Investigators have confirmed that Ashlee was seen returning to her Lompoc residence on October 10, driving the same rental vehicle she departed with on October 7—but Melodee was not in the 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. Detectives are now focused on determining where Melodee was during those three days and where she may be now.

As part of the October 24th update, detectives are sharing surveillance images of Melodee captured at a local car rental business on October 7. In the photo, Melodee is wearing a hooded sweatshirt with the hood pulled up and what appears to be a wig that is darker and straighter than her natural hair. Investigators believe the wig may have been used to alter her appearance. Detectives also note that Ashlee is known to wear wigs.

The Sheriff’s Office continues to state that Ashlee Buzzard remains uncooperative and has not provided detectives with any information about Melodee’s current location or condition. The primary goal of this investigation is to verify the location and welfare of Melodee and ensure that she is safe, reports the Sheriff’s Office.

The Daily Mail has published photos of Ashlee Buzzard this week, appearing to be wearing a wig and attempting to rent a car from a car rental company in Santa Maria.

“Sheriff’s detectives continue to pursue all available leads. This public outreach effort is one part of those ongoing efforts to develop information that could assist investigators. Detectives are aware of the strong community interest in Melodee’s case and are asking the public not to attempt to conduct their own searches or investigations. While well-intentioned, these efforts could unintentionally interfere with investigative work already in progress. Detectives have already conducted a thorough search of the family’s residence and continue to follow verified leads in a coordinated manner,” the Sheriff’s Office states.

Missing Persons in California

The Office of the Attorney General, California Department of Justice, defines a missing person as someone whose whereabouts are not known to the reporting party. This includes a child who may have run away, been held hostage, or may require assistance. It also includes a child who may be taken away illegally, held, or hidden by a parent or other family members. 

An at-risk missing person could be any of the following:

• A victim of a crime or foul play.
• In critical need of medical assistance.
• The person has no pattern of disappearing or running away.
• A victim of kidnapping or parental abduction. 
• The person is mentally impaired to the extent that they are unable to care for themselves or are a danger to their own safety or that of others. 

California police and sheriffs’ departments are mandated to accept any report for a missing person, without any waiting period or delays. 

Schools have been identified as part of the network to locate missing children. Schools are required to provide notices to a public school district within 10 days of a child’s disappearance. 

According to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, one in six missing children is found due to the direct result of someone recognizing their photo and alerting authorities. 

[Ed Note: This article was updated on October 24, 2025 with new information provided by the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office.]