Photo: Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Department
Ashlee Buzzard, the mother of missing nine-year-old Melodee Buzzard, was arrested on Friday on suspicion of false imprisonment unrelated to the ongoing case of her missing child.
According to the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office, the arrest is unrelated to the ongoing search for Melodee, who was last seen in August when she and her mother visited a school to enroll in an independent study program. Melodee's disappearance became public in late October when a school official reported her missing.
Ashlee Buzzard, 40, was taken into custody at her home in Vandenberg Village after law enforcement officers surrounded the property. Neighbors reported that officers threatened to break down the door if Buzzard did not answer. She was subsequently handcuffed and escorted to a sheriff's vehicle. The arrest warrant was issued after authorities learned that Buzzard had recently prevented a victim from leaving a location, which constitutes false imprisonment.
Buzzard is currently being held at the Northern Branch Jail with bail set at $100,000. Her arrest has not provided new leads in Melodee's case, leaving family members like Lizabeth Meza, Buzzard’s aunt, disappointed. "It was like a bittersweet moment," Meza said. "But where’s Melodee?"
The Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office continues to focus on locating Melodee and urges anyone with information to contact them. They can be reached through the detectives line at (805) 681-4150, the anonymous tip line at (805) 681-4171, or online at their website.