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

[Eli9]

but the abandonment conviction guarantees she loses custody for good, whereas if she beats the charge by producing a live melodee, it's only likely she loses custody, and possibly only temporarily

Maybe they are waiting her out. I wonder how long she thought she wouldn't be in contact with a 'living Melodee'. This whole ruse, if that's what it is blew up in her face. But if Melodee is alive she sure is taking this to extreme. Which always takes me back to what is probably not a good outcome.

 

[arielilane]

Was just in court for Ashlee Buzzard -- whose daughter Melodee is missing in California.
Bigger hearing will be tomorrow.
Followed her to her car - but she wouldn't answer any questions. Going to the house now.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1991198955976200469

 

[Mauig’ma]

There’s definitely something wrong with this gal. She’s not all there imo. Is it possible that she’s schizophrenic? Some kind of mental disorder imo

 

[truecrimel]

There’s definitely something wrong with this gal. She’s not all there imo. Is it possible that she’s schizophrenic? Some kind of mental disorder imo

According to her family, she is diagnosed bipolar.

 

[Cedars]

I still don’t understand why they can’t charge her for not producing Melodee

Perhaps you're thinking of Lori Vallow?

- The warrant for LV's arrest came 3 months after police asked her about JJ. IMO, it took a long time to make those charges sufficiently solid that a judge would approve them. Police don't want to waste their own, or the court's time, asking for something that a judge turns down.

- The arrest warrant was mostly in relation to LVs serious obstruction actions, for which they had proof: she'd lied about JJ's whereabouts, asked MG to lie, and fled her home/state.

-The charges were based on Utah laws, I've no idea whether California laws are the same.

IMO, the felony charge they have in this case is straightforward and quicker to get though the court system. The goal is the same, to get the person into custody for the time being, while the more serious case is solidified.

 

[BlaiseFinlay]

The longer this goes on, and the more people connected with the case say, the more I think this is purely about custodial issues, and that Ashlee is being advised by a parental rights / anti-CPS / homeschooling organisation. This situation would be right in their wheelhouse, especially the ones that have an interest in campaigning against the grandparents rights to petition for visitation in specific circumstances, some of which might apply to this family's situation. This feels far more political than it does sinister.

This is what I’m thinking from what is known so far. I keep going back to the fact that this wasn’t (as it turns out) a welfare check because she was missing, she went missing because of the welfare check. There is always the possibility that the welfare check triggered a reaction that led to a devastating end, but the bits and pieces we’ve heard to date makes me think it is more likely the situation you have described (which is obviously the best case scenario, so I’m hoping you’re right).

 

[Spectrix]

I keep going back to the fact that this wasn’t (as it turns out) a welfare check because she was missing, she went missing because of the welfare check. There is always the possibility that the welfare check triggered a reaction that led to a devastating end, but the bits and pieces we’ve heard to date makes me think it is more likely the situation you have described (which is obviously the best case scenario, so I’m hoping you’re right).

That's interesting, I was under the impression that the road trip and Melodee's disappearance (October 8 - 10) happened prior to the welfare check (reported as October 14).
Is that not the case?

 

[Spectrix]

The longer this goes on, and the more people connected with the case say, the more I think this is purely about custodial issues, and that Ashlee is being advised by a parental rights / anti-CPS / homeschooling organisation.

This is a possibility, but do we know that there actually was any recent custodial issues? The only information I can find is from the grandmother Lilly Dene:

-----
"Denes said that back in 2021, one of her sons (Melodee's uncle) temporarily took care of Melodee while Ashlee was hospitalized for several weeks. During this time, Denes said, she initiated the process to adopt Melodee because of concerns she had over Buzzard’s mental health and ability to care for the girl."

"But before legal proceedings began, Buzzard was discharged from the hospital, picked up Melodee from school and left Santa Maria"

"Ashlee legally changed Melodee’s last name to match her own and cut off physical contact with the girl’s father’s family."

"The grandmother has little clue what Melodee’s life has looked like since then, but said Buzzard had occasionally asked her for money over the years." (LA Times article)
-----

If that is the case, why would Ashlee, four years later, suddenly want to send Melodee interstate to hide?

 

[Fromeaster]

The private investigator mentioned that Ashlee had been doing these trips across the country before. I think she was going to make money, but it's not clear how. So he's going to search the area, the woods, the lake. because he believes she brought the girl back.

 

[TMich6811]

I said this elsewhere but re: her behavior - I’m not sure how one is supposed to act when they’ve disappeared their child so I’m not sure her neutral affect really says anything about her

 

[Mauig’ma]

I said this elsewhere but re: her behavior - I’m not sure how one is supposed to act when they’ve disappeared their child so I’m not sure her neutral affect really says anything about her

Yeah I guess. But her behavior seems off to me. If it were me I’d be terrified of le and people watching me. I’d cave right away I’m pretty sure. I wouldn’t ever disappear my child in the first place. But I guess if I had to it’d be family I would turn to for help. Imo

 

[Ontario Mom]

 

[Cedars]

If that is the case, why would Ashlee, four years later, suddenly want to send Melodee interstate to hide?

IMO, because a nine year old is very different than a 5 year old. A 9 year old is starting to understand things and have their own opinions.

 

[arielilane]

Is AB wearing a disguise or is this a regular look she likes to wear? jmo

 

[Jo in Calif]

Is AB wearing a disguise or is this a regular look she likes to wear? jmo

IMO It is her regular look.

 

[tricia]

This is what I’m thinking from what is known so far. I keep going back to the fact that this wasn’t (as it turns out) a welfare check because she was missing, she went missing because of the welfare check. There is always the possibility that the welfare check triggered a reaction that led to a devastating end, but the bits and pieces we’ve heard to date makes me think it is more likely the situation you have described (which is obviously the best case scenario, so I’m hoping you’re right).

Hey @BlaiseFinlay.
Can you please post where you found out she went missing because of a welfare check? I have thought that was possible, but I have not seen it confirmed.
Thank you.
Tricia

 

[Gigglingtoes]

I don’t think Melodee is alive anymore.

 

[arielilane]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1991602135474270665

 

[Ontario Mom]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1991602135474270665

I said yesterday it seemed weak. Not the slightest bit surprised.

 

[Sjöberg]

Just my gut feelings:
* I think Ashlee has both, a serious trauma history and an illness and I think they are also interconnected, both genetically and growing-up-enviroment wise.
* I think the prognosis for Melodee is poor, as she is probably either dead or in some unsafe situatuon with the beckground of having pretty much lived isolated with her on-and-off unstable parent. But I still keep some hope for her.
* I don't think the motive for whatever happened to Melodee was because of typical child abuse ("punishment out of hand") or hatered towards the kid, but connected to either the mental health of the mother (mania, delusions, psychosis, depression, trauma-related stuff) or to some third person taking advantage of the situation one way or the other. It'll probably fall into the grey area of both "this human was clearly not sane at that time" and "obviously not filling the criteria to claim no criminal responsibility".

I might be totally wrong. But this is just the feeling I get in this case.