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

[Diavola]

This reminds me of Madalina Cojocari. I'm hoping for a different outcome.

 

[Sjöberg]

This reminds me of Madalina Cojocari. I'm hoping for a different outcome.

With Madalina, I'm at 99.9% "she's dead" - the question being if she was killed by the step-dad, the mum or both of them. Clear signs of abuse, domestic violence in household, burning items when she disappeared etc.
With Melodee, I still have some hope she could be alive. This story is, well, not story-ing, and I cannot really understand what is going on here.

 

[CaliGrandmax4]

With Melodee’s dad being deceased, I would think Ashlee would be receiving Social Security benefit for her. If she isn’t caring for Melodee, wouldn’t that be fraud? Wouldn’t that be enough to bring her in for questioning?

 

[Ontario Mom]

With Melodee’s dad being deceased, I would think Ashlee would be receiving Social Security benefit for her. If she isn’t caring for Melodee, wouldn’t that be fraud? Wouldn’t that be enough to bring her in for questioning?

The SS survivor's benefits were discussed earlier in the thread and you're correct, if Melodee is no longer in her custody those benefit payments would have to be changed over to whoever has physical custody of her.

 

[Megnut]

The SS survivor's benefits were discussed earlier in the thread and you're correct, if Melodee is no longer in her custody those benefit payments would have to be changed over to whoever has physical custody of her.

This may give LE an angle. To detain her. If she collects Oct/Nov benefits when they have no surveillance if Melodee in her care for 30 days. Potential arrest on suspected fraud charges, giving them more teeth for investigating. Feels so LoriDaybellish.

I continue to hope that an adult is harboring Melodee because they believe it's for Melodee's safety... but I'm now than a little worried.

JMO

 

[Knox]

With Madalina, I'm at 99.9% "she's dead" - the question being if she was killed by the step-dad, the mum or both of them. Clear signs of abuse, domestic violence in household, burning items when she disappeared etc.
With Melodee, I still have some hope she could be alive. This story is, well, not story-ing, and I cannot really understand what is going on here.

With the FBI involvement and all the multiple states. It seems lthis is more complicated than the average case. They have chosen not to arrest or even detain Ashlee, there has to be an investigative reason for that beyond PC?

Something is driving that, sort of feels like it may be linked to trafficking? Is my imagination getting the best of me?

 

[Gigglingtoes]

With the FBI involvement and all the multiple states. It seems lthis is more complicated than the average case. They have chosen not to arrest or even detain Ashlee, there has to be an investigative reason for that beyond PC?

Something is driving that, sort of feels like it may be linked to trafficking? Is my imagination getting the best of me?

i believe trafficking as well. The way she appears toward her daughter in the video comes across as cold. Keeping her isolated and homeschooled. Never playing outside or having friends. Disguising her. She looked scared in the video.

 

[Emi]

Please delete my post

 

[Ontario Mom]

With the FBI involvement and all the multiple states. It seems lthis is more complicated than the average case. They have chosen not to arrest or even detain Ashlee, there has to be an investigative reason for that beyond PC?

Something is driving that, sort of feels like it may be linked to trafficking? Is my imagination getting the best of me?

Trafficking seems to come up frequently in cases here, and when all is said and done, trafficking is almost never what happened. Statistically, I suppose we can look at that as a good thing. Although Melodee being missing is certainly not a good thing.

jmo

 

[TMich6811]

I’m guessing Mom hasn’t even provided a recent photo of her since we haven’t seen anything recent.

 

[TMich6811]

Thinking about the plates for a bit -

- avoiding detection in the moment doesn’t make sense imo. There would be nothing to detect yet based on a rental car plates and nothing yet filed.

- avoiding detection because your car was at a location where illegal activity was occurring and you don’t want your plate seen there - makes sense

- changing them so the car wasn’t later tracked for a location path - makes sense

- changing them so someone you’re meeting doesn’t see your plate and find you later - makes sense

 

[TMich6811]

Trafficking seems to come up frequently in cases here, and when all is said and done, trafficking is almost never what happened. Statistically, I suppose we can look at that as a good thing. Although Melodee being missing is certainly not a good thing.

jmo

I don’t know. I think we see parents letting their children be used for their own gain often enough for it to be a realistic part of the convo when a parent won’t say where their kid is

 

[Knox]

i believe trafficking as well. The way she appears toward her daughter in the video comes across as cold. Keeping her isolated and homeschooled. Never playing outside or having friends. Disguising her. She looked scared in the video.

I can’t say Melodee looked scared, it was too short for me to pick that up. I do wish they would put out a longer clip though. I’d like to see more of the interaction, both with Melodee and the clerk - sound would be great too!

 

[Gigglingtoes]

I can’t say Melodee looked scared, it was too short for me to pick that up. I do wish they would put out a longer clip though. I’d like to see more of the interaction, both with Melodee and the clerk - sound would be great too!

With the zoomed in version she looked uncomfortable or scared to me. Scared to talk. IMO

 

[TMich6811]

I don’t know. I think we see parents letting their children be used for their own gain often enough for it to be a realistic part of the convo when a parent won’t say where their kid is

“ IOM estimated that 41 percent of child trafficking experiences are facilitated by family members and/or caregivers.”

Navigating the Unique Complexities in Familial Trafficking (PDF)

Navigating the Unique Complexities in Familial Trafficking

 

[TMich6811]

“ IOM estimated that 41 percent of child trafficking experiences are facilitated by family members and/or caregivers.”

Technical Difficulties

Technical Difficulties

I don’t know why it is linking like that

 

[Knox]

Trafficking seems to come up frequently in cases here, and when all is said and done, trafficking is almost never what happened. Statistically, I suppose we can look at that as a good thing. Although Melodee being missing is certainly not a good thing.

jmo

Yup, I’m with you and rarely go there myself. But this case is so odd, I can’t make heads or tails of what this woman is doing. Or even her motive for a cross country trip, where we now know Melodee made it back at least as far as Utah (nine hours from home).

LE has been stingy with details, the slow drip release of photos and video has been frustrating. I suspect in the end, we’ll all be surprised at what is uncovered.

 

[Tealgrove]

Yup, I’m with you and rarely go there myself. But this case is so odd, I can’t make heads or tails of what this woman is doing. Or even her motive for a cross country trip, where we now know Melodee made it back at least as far as Utah (nine hours from home).

LE has been stingy with details, the slow drip release of photos and video has been frustrating. I suspect in the end, we’ll all be surprised at what is uncovered.

It’s hard to make sense of something that makes no sense to us but it makes perfect sense to a disordered mind.

I gave up trying to make sense of things when we don’t have all the information.

Whatever Ashlee did made sense to her.

Just haven’t been able to put it together on my end.

 

[Knox]

With the zoomed in version she looked uncomfortable or scared to me. Scared to talk. IMO

I’ll try doing the same. It wouldn’t be far fetched to assume she was warned not to speak - given they are both said to be in disguise.

But what’s interesting is, some of the neighbors have said she rented cars frequently. Enterprise is the only rental lot in Lompoc and they provide free pickup. I’ll bet my lunch she’s rented there previously.

Were they always wearing wigs? Such a weird darn case!

 

[Lebowski]

i considered trafficking early on, and it's still a possibility in my mind.

but i also think everything we've learned is still consistent with "hid her daughter with friends/family out of state to keep CPS from taking her away". the subterfuge is excessive, but not inconsistent with it. ... it's not the only possibility, but imo still a strong one.