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

[Cedars]

LE was not involved at the time she took the road trip to Nebraska. But the school was applying pressure and supposedly the truancy officer had come to her home. So I guess your point is still valid, if she's paranoid - that was enough to make her conceal her movements.

True, maybe she was trying to conceal Melodee from someone else at that point, and never imagined the police would ever be involved...but now they are involved and it evidently makes no difference to her.

 

[Gigglingtoes]

Because an innocent child is missing, unaccounted for and her parent is not cooperating - no.
I can't consider it a time-suck or a waste of resources.

jmo

Think Ashlee is def wasting peoples time and time sucking. She knows where her kid is.

 

[libraryg]

I'm leaning more child trafficking.

My first instinct.

 

[Ontario Mom]

Think Ashlee is def wasting peoples time and time sucking. She knows where her kid is.

I agree. She knows exactly what she did with Melodee. She's wasting people's time being non-cooperative with LE.

LE, on the other hand, are not doing the same. Their priority is to assure Melodee is safe and well cared for. At this point, there's been zero confirmation of that.

 

[TMich6811]

What, like Melodee was just along for the rise?

Basically. The illegal activity may have involved Melodee and her life but I don’t think she was just getting rental cars, changing plates and changing wigs because melodee is missing/related to her disappearance. I believe it was likely related to whatever she was doing in the first pace.

IMO whatever happened to melodee is in addition to whatever she was doing in the first place

 

[Fromeaster]

When Ashlee returned home without the child, she tried to rent a car again but the companies apparently turned her down twice. Then it all came out in the open. I wonder if she wanted to go pick up the child or just run away or move out. I'm open to the idea that she wanted to run away.

 

[Fromeaster]

I assume that Ashlee reached her destination, then she and the girl drove home. Because according to FBI information, the child was last seen on the 9th and Ashlee returned on the 10th. Perhaps something happened on the way home.

 

[dmac55]

Yes, she hasn't been charged because a baby, if illegally adopted by another family, wouldn't know what happened.

However a 9 year old, I feel, would remember her own name, her mother, where she lived, the wigs, the car trip, etc. She had, at least for a time, been associated with a school. Those memories can't be easily erased, and if she grows older, she can't so easily be silenced.

JMO

Yes that’s a good point I hadn’t thought of

 

[Gigglingtoes]

9 is pretty old for an undercover adoption.

 

[Sjöberg]

When Ashlee returned home without the child, she tried to rent a car again but the companies apparently turned her down twice. Then it all came out in the open. I wonder if she wanted to go pick up the child or just run away or move out. I'm open to the idea that she wanted to run away.

If true, that's hilarious.
I've heard that the public transport network in the US leaves a lot to be desired, but if a criminal is unable to run from the law unless they can rent a car, that's next level.

 

[Teche]

I wish Social Security would become involved and investigate death payments. Are payments going to the person responsible for Melodee’s care. Is mom sending funds to the person caring for the child? IMO the child is unalive. Hope I’m wrong. This case reminds me of the Lori Vallow case.

 

[minazoe]

it's very vallow-esque with the road trip. mOO

 

[Ontario Mom]

I wish Social Security would become involved and investigate death payments. Are payments going to the person responsible for Melodee’s care. Is mom sending funds to the person caring for the child? IMO the child is unalive. Hope I’m wrong. This case reminds me of the Lori Vallow case.

If she is in fact receiving SS survivor's benefits for Melodee (*unclear if this has been confirmed) then LE have every reason to contact them in the course of this investigation. I suspect if she is receiving benefits, the SSA have already been notified there's a missing child investigation.

jmo

 

[Cedars]

I wish Social Security would become involved and investigate death payments. Are payments going to the person responsible for Melodee’s care. Is mom sending funds to the person caring for the child? IMO the child is unalive. Hope I’m wrong. This case reminds me of the Lori Vallow case.

I'm sure police are investigating /monitoring A's finances, large transactions, etc, and can learn everything about that.

I guess it's possible that M was receiving a benefit because her father had died?

 

[TMich6811]

I posted links previously but it appears that you have until month 2 to report the child is not with you for social security. The consequence was reduced payments or payback. It was unclear as to when that becomes legal

 

[dalsglen]

If true, that's hilarious.
I've heard that the public transport network in the US leaves a lot to be desired, but if a criminal is unable to run from the law unless they can rent a car, that's next level.

There's one bus service that serves Vandenberg Villages which also serves the Santa Maria airport, seems to me it would be easier to try disappear that way.

 

[Fromeaster]

There's one bus service that serves Vandenberg Villages which also serves the Santa Maria airport, seems to me it would be easier to try disappear that way.

She won't disappear anywhere with a wig like that.

 

[Fromeaster]

At least they could put her in jail for the fake numbers.

 

[Tabulator]

I have been lurking around this thread for some time and I am sooo impressed with the posts. Seriously, well done on comments and continuing suggestions!

I don't know if this has been said, but IMO one of the the best things in this case is the continuing pressure of the media. Public information regarding finding Melodee will keep pressure on law enforcement.

I am trying to stay positive about finding Melodee alive, but each day that passes with no proof of life makes me more and more apprehensive. Ashlee's extreme paranoia fills me with dread!

 

[Eli9]

I have been lurking around this thread for some time and I am sooo impressed with the posts. Seriously, well done on comments and continuing suggestions!

I don't know if this has been said, but IMO one of the the best things in this case is the continuing pressure of the media. Public information regarding finding Melodee will keep pressure on law enforcement.

I am trying to stay positive about finding Melodee alive, but each day that passes with no proof of life makes me more and more apprehensive. Ashlee's extreme paranoia fills me with dread!

Hopefully the media will be able to identify Ashlee's new location otherwise this case might fall off the radar.