Melodee Buzzard's Mom No Longer Facing False Imprisonment Charge in Case Unrelated to Her Daughter's Disappearance By Charna Flam

Melodee Buzzard’s mother, Ashlee, is no longer facing a felony charge unrelated to the disappearance of her 9-year-old daughter.

Melodee was reported missing on Oct. 14, and on Nov. 7, Ashlee was arrested on false imprisonment charges in a separate case, the sheriff’s office announced.

Weeks later, on Wednesday, Nov. 19, Ashlee appeared in a Santa Barbara County courtroom for a preliminary hearing regarding the charges against her, which alleged that she attempted to prevent victim Tyler S. Brewer from leaving her home, KEYT reported. He claimed she became upset when he mentioned a location Ashlee and Buzzard visited during a three-day drive across multiple states.

The felony charge was dropped on Thursday, Nov. 20, after an audio recording captured by Ashlee was played in court and seemingly disproved Brewer’s claims, according to the outlet. In the audio, Ashlee opened the door and allowed Brewer to leave her home. There was also no mention of a specific location in the audio.

Brewer identified himself as a “legal document assistant” who offered Ashlee assistance between Nov. 1 and Nov. 6, and felt threatened by her on Nov. 6, according to the Lompoc Record.

Following the dismissal, Ashlee is no longer required to wear a GPS monitor.

The investigation into Melodee’s disappearance remains ongoing. 

Since the investigation began on Oct. 14, investigators have searched Ashlee’s home in Lompoc, Calif. There were no signs of the child, and Ashlee was allegedly unable to provide a “verifiable explanation” of the child’s whereabouts, the Santa Barbara Sheriff’s Office previously said.

Ashlee has not been named a person of interest, but police say the mother has been uncooperative in the investigation. Additionally, a neighbor filmed Ashlee removing missing person posters from outside her property, KTLA reported.

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Detectives determined that Melodee likely disappeared during a three-day “critical timeline,” between Oct. 7 and Oct. 10. At the time, she and Ashlee were on a road trip from California to Nebraska.

On Oct. 7, a car rental business’ surveillance camera photos showed Melodee seemingly wearing a wig. From there, the mother-daughter duo allegedly traveled across several states in a white Chevrolet Malibu. Then, police say that Ashlee returned to Lompoc without Melodee.

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Melodee is around 4 feet 6 inches tall and weighs 60 lbs., with brown hair and brown eyes, per the sheriff’s office, who is urging anyone with information to contact investigators at (805) 681-4150, via the anonymous tip line at (805) 681-4171, or online at the sheriff’s office website.