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

[curiousest]

seems like we're close to getting answers on this one, hopefully good ones.

the kitten thing makes me wonder if ashlee participates in her neighborhood TNR group. or at least clicks *like* when they show up in her social media feed. .... and it's random, but hearing the story *slightly* raises my odds melodee is ok.

I’ve been following this case closely. What is “the kitten thing”? Thanks!

 

[Serononin]

I’ve been following this case closely. What is “the kitten thing”? Thanks!

She apparently went into one of the stores she passed on her trip to tell them that there were stray kittens outside

 

[Lebowski]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1986270619743494510

"The most significant new information came from Junction, where there was a possible sighting. Samantha Matthews, an employee at the Junction Pitt Stop and Phillips 66 gas station, said she recognized Ashlee Buzzard after seeing her photo from an FBI agent. She was sure it was Buzzard based on her curly blonde wig and unusual interaction they shared on October 9 around 5 p.m.

“It was really weird,” Matthews said. “She just opened the door, poked her head in, and said, ‘Did you guys know you have a bunch of kittens out here?’ Then she immediately left.” "

 

[curiousest]

"The most significant new information came from Junction, where there was a possible sighting. Samantha Matthews, an employee at the Junction Pitt Stop and Phillips 66 gas station, said she recognized Ashlee Buzzard after seeing her photo from an FBI agent. She was sure it was Buzzard based on her curly blonde wig and unusual interaction they shared on October 9 around 5 p.m.

“It was really weird,” Matthews said. “She just opened the door, poked her head in, and said, ‘Did you guys know you have a bunch of kittens out here?’ Then she immediately left.” "

How bizarre! Haha thank you so much for the response.

 

[Lebowski]

there's a big overpopulation of feral cats, and they live tough and short lives, with high kitten mortality rate, lots of disease, etc. and there's this whole cluster of people who are conscious of it and try to help by neutering, adopting, getting them their vaccinations, etc.

to some of those people, when you see a litter living outside, the obvious reaction is "uh... is someone taking care of these guys??" for them, it's almost like seeing a toddler wandering around without parents.

though of course, if that whole thing is not on you radar, then when ashlee sticks her head in just to tell you there's kittens outside then disappears, you react the same way the gas station employee did: " ........... what the crap??"

 

[Stunned]

"The most significant new information came from Junction, where there was a possible sighting. Samantha Matthews, an employee at the Junction Pitt Stop and Phillips 66 gas station, said she recognized Ashlee Buzzard after seeing her photo from an FBI agent. She was sure it was Buzzard based on her curly blonde wig and unusual interaction they shared on October 9 around 5 p.m.

“It was really weird,” Matthews said. “She just opened the door, poked her head in, and said, ‘Did you guys know you have a bunch of kittens out here?’ Then she immediately left.” "

So she's switching license plates and also calling attention to herself by raising awareness to kittins in a parking lot? That makes no sense!

 

[tlcya]

Agents told her they had traced Ashlee Buzzard’s phone to a nearby cell tower and believed she crossed the intersection of State Route 20 and U.S. 89, where the store is located.
Residents in small Southern Utah towns talk about interactions with mom of missing girl

good to know, they have her cell data and have for a while and are retracing her route. I am curious about the woman with purple hair that was said to be accompanying AB (IF that was indeed her that asked about kittens). Was that an unknown individual and where was Melodee if not with them? Or was that Melodee in yet another wig that the witness mistook for an adult female?

 

[Emi]

 

[Emi]

Updated Information in Search for Missing At-Risk Child, Surveillance Video Shared – Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office

Proud to Protect and Serve Santa Barbara County The men and women of the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office are proud to protect the people of this beautiful county. Our dedicated team of professionals uphold our five core values, integrity, caring, courage, fairness and service, in all that...

www.sbsheriff.org

 

[truthfinder2019]

The small town of Green River, Utah, became an unexpected focal point in the search for 9-year-old Melodee Buzzard, a California girl who’s been missing for about a month.

… her mother took what investigators described as an unusual route back to California, passing through several areas not originally part of the trip.

Small Utah town becomes unexpected focal point in search for missing California girl

The small town of Green River, Utah, became an unexpected focal point in the search for 9-year-old Melodee Buzzard, a California girl who’s been missing for abo

kutv.com

 

[truthfinder2019]

All this is nuts

Investigators also believe that Ashlee swapped wigs throughout the trip, changing to a darker wig that is similar in color and style to the one Melodee was seen wearing. This change in appearance is believed to have been intentional to avoid recognition during travel.

Updated Information in Search for Missing At-Risk Child, Surveillance Video Shared – Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office

Proud to Protect and Serve Santa Barbara County The men and women of the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office are proud to protect the people of this beautiful county. Our dedicated team of professionals uphold our five core values, integrity, caring, courage, fairness and service, in all that...

www.sbsheriff.org

 

[truthfinder2019]

Melodee And Ashlee Buzzard May Have Been Seen In Utah | News Channel 3-12

LOMPOC, Calif. (KEYT) - Now going on a month missing, Melodee Buzzard from Vandenberg Village has captured attention from across the nation. The

keyt.com

 

[Emi]

Definition of truency in California laws

California truancy laws are changing, with a significant shift away from criminal penalties for parents. Effective January 1, 2026, Assembly Bill 461 repeals the misdemeanor charge for parents of chronically truant children, eliminating potential fines and jail time. Other new laws for 2025 include a rule change that excuses absences for military entrance processing and an update to truancy notifications to include information about support services, starting July 1, 2025.

Key updates for 2025-2026

• Decriminalization of truancy:
  AB 461, which takes effect on January 1, 2026, eliminates the previous misdemeanor charge for parents of chronically truant children.
  
  
• • Elimination of penalties:
    The new law removes the possibility of up to a $2,000 fine or a year in jail for parents in truancy cases. It also eliminates financial sanctions on families with a child who is a chronic truant and removes them from the CalWORKS program.
    
  • Focus on support:
    The new approach emphasizes providing support services to families to address the root causes of truancy, such as health issues or poverty, instead of relying on punishment.
    
  • Revised truancy notifications:
    Starting July 1, 2025, initial truancy letters sent to parents will have punitive language removed and will instead include information about available support services, such as mental health resources and opportunities to meet with school staff.
    
  • Excused absences:
    A new law (Senate Bill 1138) states that as of January 1, 2025, a student's absence from school for military entrance processing is an excused absence.

 

[Mdcastle]

I wouldn't put too much emphasis on her liking kittens. I mean, Ronald DeFeo Jr (The "Amityville Horror Killer") made sure to feed his dog after killing six members of his family.

 

[TMich6811]

The small town of Green River, Utah, became an unexpected focal point in the search for 9-year-old Melodee Buzzard, a California girl who’s been missing for about a month.

… her mother took what investigators described as an unusual route back to California, passing through several areas not originally part of the trip.

Small Utah town becomes unexpected focal point in search for missing California girl

The small town of Green River, Utah, became an unexpected focal point in the search for 9-year-old Melodee Buzzard, a California girl who’s been missing for abo

kutv.com

This is interesting because how do they know they weren’t part of the original trip plan?

 

[Knox]

So she's switching license plates and also calling attention to herself by raising awareness to kittins in a parking lot? That makes no sense!

I’m always somewhat skeptical of eyewitness sightings. So many cases where sightings of a MP were reported, we later learn they were deceased at that point.

Hoping this is accurate, but waiting to see if any other sightings with video are revealed. The interaction is pretty odd, even for Ashlee.

 

[Lebowski]

witness said they had a california plate. if that's true, and she didn't just mentally retcon that, i'd say it adds to the credibility.

 

[Lebowski]

two legal/procedural questions for anyone who knows...

1) assuming ashlee hid melodee, and LE finds melodee safe and sound, does this whole episode affect ashlee's chances of keeping custody of her? common sense suggests yes, but law doesn't always work how you'd think, so i wonder.

2) LE has been in ashlee's house investigating. if while investigating they observe that conditions in her house are unsafe or unsanitary (and i have no reason to believe this -- the house might be totally fine), could that information work its way into a decision by CPS or whoever about whether she should keep custody?

 

[TMich6811]

I don’t feel the kitten thing is that odd. I dont like animals and def not cats but would totally give someone a heads up if I saw a bunch of kittens

 

[Knox]