The mom of a 9-year-old California girl who vanished throughout their street journey final month was arrested Friday on a felony charge of false imprisonment – however it’s circuitously associated to the seek for her daughter, officers mentioned.
Investigators have been wanting into the disappearance of Ashlee Buzzard’s daughter Melodee once they discovered the mom had just lately “prevented a victim from leaving a location against their will,” the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office mentioned in a news release.
“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 discharge mentioned.
Investigators shed little gentle on the current incident and declined to present particulars on the sufferer of the false imprisonment case as they proceed to examine Melodee’s whereabouts.
The arrest comes a couple of week after the FBI served search warrants at Buzzard’s house and a storage locker, in addition to the rental automobile that Melodee was final seen in.
The seek for Melodee has captured nationwide consideration as investigators shared surveillance photographs of the kid apparently wearing a wig at a automobile rental company final month, started scrutinizing a cross-state street journey and described her mom as being “uncooperative.”
Buzzard went on a street journey with Melodee on October 7, authorities mentioned. That day, surveillance footage captured the girl at a neighborhood automobile rental company wearing what seemed to be a disguise.
Melodee was carrying a hoodie pulled over her head and “what appears to be a wig that is darker and straighter than her natural hair,” the sheriff’s office mentioned. “Investigators believe the wig may have been used to alter her appearance.”
Investigators additionally consider that the mom swapped wigs all through the journey, presumably “to avoid recognition during travel,” the sheriff’s workplace mentioned Thursday.
Over the subsequent three days, the rental automobile traveled by Nebraska, Utah, Arizona, Nevada and Kansas, sooner or later seen with “a false or switched” license plate, in accordance to the sheriff’s workplace.
The rental automobile then returned to the household’s house in Lompoc, about 55 miles northwest of Santa Barbara, authorities mentioned.
“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,” the sheriff’s workplace mentioned.
The youngster was final seen a day earlier than on video surveillance within the area between the Colorado and Utah state line.
Melodee was reported missing days later on October 14 – not by a member of the family, however by a school administrator concerned about her lengthy absence.
When authorities visited her mom’s house, “Melodee was not at the home, and no verifiable explanation for her whereabouts was provided,” the sheriff’s workplace mentioned.
“Ashlee has remained uncooperative and has not confirmed Melodee’s location or welfare,” authorities mentioned on Monday.
Though the mom’s arrest Friday did occur through the missing individuals investigation, “it is not directly related to Melodee’s disappearance,” the sheriff’s workplace mentioned.
“Sheriff’s detectives remain fully focused on locating Melodee and confirming her safety,” the Friday launch mentioned.
Anyone who has seen Melodee or might know one thing about her whereabouts is inspired to name the sheriff’s workplace or depart an anonymous tip.
It was not instantly clear whether or not Buzzard has an lawyer. She might be booked at a Santa Barbara County jail with bail set at $100,000, officers mentioned.