Major new details emerge in the disappearance of a 9-year-old girl
Photo credit: Los Angeles Times
Authorities in Santa Barbara County, California have released new surveillance images in the ongoing search for Melodee Buzzard, a 9-year-old girl who has been missing for more than two weeks.
The newly uncovered footage, taken on October 7, marks the last verified sighting of the child - and has raised chilling new questions about her disappearance.
According to the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office, Melodee is classified as an «at-risk missing person» due to the circumstances surrounding her case.
The images show her wearing a hooded sweatshirt and a dark wig, which investigators believe may have been used to alter her appearance.
Authorities have also confirmed that Melodee's mother, Ashlee, remains uncooperative with the investigation, a development that has only deepened concern for the missing girl's safety.
A disturbing timeline to find little Melodee Buzzard
The sheriff's office says the investigation began in October, when a school administrator reported Melodee's unexplained and extended absence.
Though she had been homeschooled in recent years, Ashlee had recently enrolled her daughter in a local independent study program.
When Melodee failed to pick up her school assignments or attend classes, administrators attempted multiple welfare checks before alerting law enforcement.
Deputies later visited the family's home in Lompoc, but Melodee was nowhere to be found. Her mother allegedly provided no verifiable explanation for her daughter's whereabouts.
Detectives have since narrowed down the crucial window of time to between October 7 and October 10, with the newly released security footage confirming the child's last known appearance at a car rental business in the area.
The sheriff's office continues to coordinate search efforts and urges anyone with information about Melodee's location to come forward.
As days pass without answers, the case has drawn increasing public attention - and growing frustration over the mother's lack of cooperation.
For now, the surveillance photos provide the most concrete lead in a case that has left an entire community desperate for resolution.
| POLL | ||
OCTOBRE 25 | 2 ANSWERS Major new details emerge in the disappearance of a 9-year-old girl Do you believe the mother's cooperation could change the course of the investigation? | ||
| Yes, definitely | 2 | 100 % |
| Possibly | 0 | 0 % |
| Not necessarily | 0 | 0 % |
| Too early to tell | 0 | 0 % |
| List of polls | ||
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