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

[Knox]

Buzzard was handed a notice on Monday that gave her 72 hours to produce Melodee or reveal her whereabouts – or face arrest.

Ashlee is astonishingly making rent on the home she shares with her missing daughter, despite filing Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2017, being unemployed and relying on social security payouts

Eerie picture of missing 9-year-old girl uncovered on web

The disappearance of a missing girl, 9, has taken a bizarre twist as her mother was spotted emerging from her home after refusing to answer the door for CPS or police.

www.dailymail.co.uk

Again consider the source. IMO, it’s a section 8 home she’s living in. DM is making some assumptions that aren’t correct. They do get great photos though.

 

[Inthedetails]

IMO, the black Lincoln mentioned by the DM today, was an Uber not a friend. Consider the source.

I agree. I'm not in CA, but where I live, we have livery cabs that fit that description too and you don't need an app to arrange one. The car was a hired driver of some sort, not a friend, imo.

jmopinion

 

[Ontario Mom]

Buzzard was handed a notice on Monday that gave her 72 hours to produce Melodee or reveal her whereabouts – or face arrest.

Ashlee is astonishingly making rent on the home she shares with her missing daughter, despite filing Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2017, being unemployed and relying on social security payouts

Eerie picture of missing 9-year-old girl uncovered on web

The disappearance of a missing girl, 9, has taken a bizarre twist as her mother was spotted emerging from her home after refusing to answer the door for CPS or police.

www.dailymail.co.uk

I'll wait until I hear LE confirm that info.
Emotional neighbors outside protesting might not have all the facts entirely accurate.

 

[tlcya]

Adding to her troubles, a neighbor told the Daily Mail that Buzzard was handed a notice on Monday that gave her 72 hours to produce Melodee or reveal her whereabouts – or face arrest.

And in a sign that the clock is ticking down, Buzzard was shadowed by a fleet of six unmarked cop cars on her fruitless trip – one of which subsequently parked up on her quiet residential street while another was stationed nearby.
"Uncooperative" mom of missing 9-year-old breaks cover to rent car

Happy to know LE is applying serious pressure. I hope she is feeling the heat.

 

[AStartoSteerBy]

If the mom is collecting SS survivor's benefits, she likely only collects benefits due to Melodee. Generally, the child receives a benefit payment and the custodial adult gets a benefit payment (based on the adult's income). But, if anything happens to Melodee, the mom will not get any SS benefit paid to her. Survivor benefits usually only apply to a spouse after age 60 (age 50 if disabled). Mom has a financial incentive to keep Melodee alive and to show custody. If the mom won't prove custody...is it b/c she can't? MOO
(https://www.ssa.gov/survivor/eligibility)

 

[tlcya]

If the mom is collecting SS survivor's benefits, she likely only collects benefits due to Melodee. Generally, the child receives a benefit payment and the custodial adult gets a benefit payment (based on the adult's income). But, if anything happens to Melodee, the mom will not get any SS benefit paid to her. Survivor benefits usually only apply to a spouse after age 60 (age 50 if disabled). Mom has a financial incentive to keep Melodee alive and to show custody. If the mom won't prove custody...is it b/c she can't? MOO
(https://www.ssa.gov/survivor/eligibility)

I think mom's receiving a death benefit would depend on if she was married to the decedent. She was not from what I understand.

 

[SimplyCass]

I think mom's receiving a death benefit would depend on if she was married to the decedent. She was not from what I understand.

What @AStartoSteerBy is referring to is mentioned in the link: One common example is if you’re caring for a child of the person who died. That is independent of whether the surviving parent and the decedent were married.

 

[tlcya]

What @AStartoSteerBy is referring to is mentioned in the link: One common example is if you’re caring for a child of the person who died. That is independent of whether the surviving parent and the decedent were married.

interesting. My mother raised my niece after my sister died. Niece got a survivor benefit. My mom got nothing.

 

[sasha17]

If the mom is collecting SS survivor's benefits, she likely only collects benefits due to Melodee. Generally, the child receives a benefit payment and the custodial adult gets a benefit payment (based on the adult's income). But, if anything happens to Melodee, the mom will not get any SS benefit paid to her. Survivor benefits usually only apply to a spouse after age 60 (age 50 if disabled). Mom has a financial incentive to keep Melodee alive and to show custody. If the mom won't prove custody...is it b/c she can't? MOO
(https://www.ssa.gov/survivor/eligibility)

My child's dad died and so we receive a Social Security survivor benefit for my child. But since I wasn't married to him at the time of his death (we were divorced), I do not receive any benefit.

Edit: If you want to get technical, the benefit is paid to me in my name as the legal/surviving parent. But it's meant for my child's care. It will end once my child turns 18.

 

[Ontario Mom]

My child's dad died and so we receive a Social Security survivor benefit for my child. But since I wasn't married to him at the time of his death (we were divorced), I do not receive any benefit.

Edit: If you want to get technical, the benefit is paid to me in my name as the legal/surviving parent. But it's meant for my child's care. It will end once my child turns 18.

That's accurate. When my husband passed my kids and I all received the benefit, and theirs was sent in my name as "authorized representative payee" since they were all minors. Once I remarried my benefits stopped but theirs all continued until the age of 18. If Melodee is receiving the benefit Ashlee would be the payee.

 

[sasha17]

That's accurate. When my husband passed my kids and I all received the benefit, and theirs was sent in my name as "authorized representative payee" since they were all minors. Once I remarried my benefits stopped but theirs all continued untilt the age of 18. If Melodee is receiving the benefit Ashlee would be the payee.

I had remarried before my child's dad died, so that makes sense as to why I never received any separate benefit of my own.

In Ashlee's case, she might receive her own benefit in addition to one for Melodee since AFAIK, she hasn't married after Melodee's dad died.

 

[Knox]

I had remarried before my child's dad died, so that makes sense as to why I never received any separate benefit of my own.

In Ashlee's case, she might receive her own benefit in addition to one for Melodee since AFAIK, she hasn't married after Melodee's dad died.

I don’t think they were married were they?

 

[sasha17]

I don’t think they were married were they?

I'm not sure if we have heard anything from a reliable source either way? Or if we have, I missed it.

 

[Stunned]

When my husband died, my children and I received Survivors Benefits. Mine stopped when I reached a certain yearly salary my childrens stopped at 18.

 

[angelainwi]

My ex-husband died while my kids were little and they both received survivor's benefits until age 18. I received the caregiver benefit til the youngest was 16. I had not remarried.

 

[steff13]

I'm not sure if we have heard anything from a reliable source either way? Or if we have, I missed it.

She wasn't mentioned in his obituary.

 

[truthfinder2019]

https://www.fbi.gov/wanted/kidnap/melodee-buzzard/@@download.pdf

MELODEE BUZZARD | Federal Bureau of Investigation

October 7, 2025 Lompoc, California

www.fbi.gov

 

[Lusitana]

Melodee's mother does not look well on those DailyMail pics. In my opinion, what she's doing doesn't make any sense. It is a relief to know that LE seems to be watching her 24/7, which sounds like they suspect she might try to run.

 

[Serononin]

Melodee's mother does not look well on those DailyMail pics. In my opinion, what she's doing doesn't make any sense. It is a relief to know that LE seems to be watching her 24/7, which sounds like they suspect she might try to run.

I wonder if they're hoping she'll lead them to Melodee? Seems unlikely if she knows they're watching her, though

 

[sasha17]

Melodee's mother does not look well on those DailyMail pics. In my opinion, what she's doing doesn't make any sense. It is a relief to know that LE seems to be watching her 24/7, which sounds like they suspect she might try to run.

I have a hard time understanding that the woman in the Daily Mail pictures is the same person in the photo LE released at the beginning where Ashlee's wearing a blue apron. It looks like two different people! JMO