CA CA - Melodee Buzzard, 9, Vandenberg Village, 14 Oct 2025

[Knox]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1978635170753151133

 

[Knox]

Sheriff’s officials say their investigation began on Tuesday, Oct. 14, when a school administrator reported that 9-year-old Melodee Buzzard had been absent for a prolonged period of time.

Deputies reportedly tried to contact Melodee and her mother, Ashlee Buzzard, at their home in the 500 block of Mars Avenue but the child was not there, and sheriff’s officials say there was no clear explanation provided for her whereabouts.

Detectives investigating disappearance of 9-year-old Vandenberg Village girl

The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office is asking for the public’s help as they investigate the disappearance of a child from Vandenberg Village.

www.ksby.com

 

[Knox]

Vandenberg Village is not actually on the the AF base, but I wonder if her Mom works there or lives with someone who is in the AF? Odd that she can’t offer a location for Melodee is currently? This is local for me.

 

[GraceG]

According to this news article, the last time anyone saw her was a year ago, and the most recent photo was two years old. Why is the school just now reporting it? https://ktla.com/news/california/ca...-girl-who-hasnt-been-seen-in-at-least-1-year/

They're not new to the area. (We can't sleuth the mom as she's not a suspect, but you can often verify addresses for a family through county court records). Case Records Search | Superior Court of California | County of Santa Barbara (public portal then smart search)

 

[Teche]

Sheriff’s officials say their investigation began on Tuesday, Oct. 14, when a school administrator reported that 9-year-old Melodee Buzzard had been absent for a prolonged period of time.

Deputies reportedly tried to contact Melodee and her mother, Ashlee Buzzard, at their home in the 500 block of Mars Avenue but the child was not there, and sheriff’s officials say there was no clear explanation provided for her whereabouts.

Detectives investigating disappearance of 9-year-old Vandenberg Village girl

The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office is asking for the public’s help as they investigate the disappearance of a child from Vandenberg Village.

www.ksby.com

Last verified contact was approximately 1 year ago.

 

[Knox]

Last verified contact was approximately 1 year ago.

I saw that, wondering why the school took so long to report their concerns to LE? If mom sent Melodee to live elsewhere, it would have been an easy misunderstanding to clear up with LE, but evidently that didn’t happen. Super sus …

 

[LadyL]

what an angel
please let her be with relatives
I wonder who her Dad is and why he wasn't looking for her

 

[Knox]

what an angel
please let her be with relatives
I wonder who her Dad is and why he wasn't looking for her

Hint - search her name on FB, that question is answered.

 

[Teche]

When a child transfers to another school district, the new school/parent will request that the records be sent to the new school.

 

[TMich6811]

It doesn’t seem like it is a new school though

If she hasn’t been seen since last year I am wondering what they are defining in a year. Last school year or 2024?

For now Im holding the school accountable for Not reporting this sooner

If it was last school year - why is it just now getting reported?

If it was 2024 why wasn’t it reported last year?

I wonder if some kind of medical excuse was provided that hushed the school but then they got suspicious?

 

[Eli9]

I'm sorry, I'm not understanding how Law Enforcement arrives at your door to check on the well being of your child and you provide no clear explanation of her whereabouts. Like, where is your child? Did she have no one else in her life that wondered where she was or that was missing her other than her teacher?

 

[Knox]

It doesn’t seem like it is a new school though

If she hasn’t been seen since last year I am wondering what they are defining in a year. Last school year or 2024?

For now Im holding the school accountable for Not reporting this sooner

If it was last school year - why is it just now getting reported?

If it was 2024 why wasn’t it reported last year?

I wonder if some kind of medical excuse was provided that hushed the school but then they got suspicious?

JMO, but I think we might learn that Melodee was home schooled at some point.

 

[TMich6811]

JMO, but I think we might learn that Melodee was home schooled at some point.

Could explain a lot but I’m curious as to when homeschooling would have stopped and the school felt a need to report since she never attended again.

 

[Knox]

Could explain a lot but I’m curious as to when homeschooling would have stopped and the school felt a need to report since she never attended again.

Hopefully we hear these details soon.

 

[tlcya]

what an adorable little girl. I hope LE can come up with some leads, but with no known sightings of the child in over a year I fear the well check was way too late to help her I would love to be wrong but we all know how these cases tend to go.

 

[mickey2942]

https://ktla.com/news/california/california-authorities-launch-search-for-girl-who-hasnt-been-seen-in-at-least-1-year/

A school administrator requested a well check for "Melodee Buzzard".

Deputies attempted to contact Melodee and her mother, Ashlee Buzzard, at their home in Lompoc, but the elementary school student was not there, and “no clear explanation was provided for her whereabouts.”

 

[mickey2942]

Santa Barbara authorities looking for 9-year-old girl who hasn't been seen in at least 1 year

California authorities are trying to track down a 9-year-old girl who hasn't been seen in at least one year.

abcnews.go.com

Melodee is homeschooled and has not checked in since October 2024, according to the sheriff's office.
"Homeschooled" of course.

 

[TMich6811]

Does California require homeschooled children check in?

 

[mickey2942]

Does California require homeschooled children check in?

I don't think so. We had another young girl who was "homeschooled", found in a duffel bag. She was wearing a Disney Princess shirt. There is a thread for her here.

Found Deceased Post in thread 'CA - Hacienda Heights Trail, Future Princess Hero, age 9, 5 Mar 2019 - Trinity Love Jones - *Arrest*'

Apr 23, 2022

Ah - they both came to their senses....

Mother, boyfriend sentenced to prison in 9-year-old Trinity Love Jones' death

April 22, 2022
POMONA, Calif. (CNS) -- A woman and her boyfriend were sentenced Friday to state prison on the eve of trial for the death of her 9-year-old daughter, whose body was found partially inside a duffel bag near a Hacienda Heights-area equestrian trail.

Taquesta Graham and Emiel Hunt were sentenced to 15 years to life and 25 years to life, respectively, a court official said.

• Niner

• 

 

[mickey2942]

Schooling at Home - Private Schools and Schooling at Home (CA Dept of Education)

Information on schooling at home, including available options for schooling at home, laws and requirements, frequently asked questions, and other resources.

www.cde.ca.gov

Maybe the school administrator was following up because the correct forms were not submitted.

"Parents are not required to report to their school district. However, public school districts are required to verify a child’s exemption from compulsory education by verifying that the private school affidavit filing requirements have been met.".