Cops release new clues in case of missing nine-year-old Melodee Buzzard

Police have released new clues in the exhaustive search for a child missing in California, as the investigation enters its second week with no sign of the young girl.

Melodee Buzzard, 9, was reported missing on October 14 by a school administrator in Lompoc, a city in Santa Barbara, following an extended absence.

It is understood the youngster was being homeschooled but she was still required to check-in for assignments per state rules.

Since then, sheriff deputies in the county and the Federal Bureau of Investigation have attempted to piece together a timeline of her movements.

On Friday, authorities shared surveillance images of Melodee in a grey hooded sweatshirt and what appeared to be a wig at a local rental car business a week before she vanished.

The update noted that Melodee’s mother, Ashlee Buzzard, 40, hasn’t been cooperating with the authorities and has been known to wear wigs.

Along with the new mysterious images, law enforcement has released an updated timeline on Melodee’s disappearance.

Detectives now believe that the girl likely vanished between October 7 and 10, identifying these three days as a critical timeline in the investigation.

New details have narrowed down the timeline when Melodee Buzzard, 9, likely disappeared after she was reported missing on October 14

Authorities have revealed new photos of Melodee in a hooded sweatshirt and what appeared to be a wig at a car rental

Authorities said the photos were taken at a car rental place on October 7. Melodee’s mother, Ashlee Buzzard returned home on October 10 without Ashlee after their road trip

Buzzard was seen at her Lompoc home on October 10, driving the same rental car she left in on October 7, but without Melodee, according to the sheriff’s office.

The investigation found that Ashlee took a road trip to Nebraska and Kansas during these days.

The mother-daughter duo traveled in a Chevrolet Malibu vehicle with a California license plate.

Detectives are narrowing down their investigation to where Melodee was during these three days.

‘Our detectives are following every lead in this case. We continue to seek information from the public that could help us find Melodee,’ Sheriff Bill Brown said with the update.

‘We remain determined to bring her home safely.’

Concern has grown for the young girl after the Lompoc Unified School District verified the last sighting of her in August.

The last photo authorities obtained was taken in 2023. Melodee has been homeschooled for the last year, but was previously enrolled at Buena Vista Elementary School.

Cops release new clues in case of missing nine-year-old Melodee Buzzard

Authorities have identified October 7 through October 10 as a critical period when Melodee likely disappeared. She was said to be on a road trip with her mother(pictured)

Homeschooled students in California are still required to maintain an attendance record with their local district.

Melodee was enrolled in the Lompoc Unified School District’s ‘independent study program,’ which requires students and their parents to pick up assignments from the school.

‘If attendance does not begin, the school follows mandatory truancy procedures — including phone calls, letters, emails, and home visits,’ the district previously said in a statement.

‘When a student or family cannot be reached after these efforts, the school requests a welfare check from law enforcement.’

After the district reported Melodee’s absences, law enforcement conducted a welfare check on her home, where she lives with her mother.

When law enforcement arrived for the welfare check on October 14, Ashlee couldn’t provide a reasonable explanation for her daughter’s whereabouts. She has remained uncooperative as of Friday.

Melodee’s father, Rubiell Meza, died in a motorcycle accident in 2016, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Since his death, Meza’s family has said Ashlee refused to let them have a relationship with Melodee.

Rubiell’s sister, Bridget Truitt, told local ABC affiliate KEYT that Ashlee hadn’t let the family see her for a few years.

‘And all of us have tried. But we never stopped thinking about her or loving her or praying for her,’ she added.

Melodee was reported missing by her local school district on October 14, which opened up an investigation into her recent whereabouts

Melodee had been homeschooled and was seemingly isolated at home with her mother before she disappeared. The community held a vigil for her in front of her Lompoc home (pictured)

Melodee’s father, Rubiell Meza (pictured), died in a motorcycle accident after she was born. Melodee has lived with her mother since

Buzzard was spotted leaving her home on Wednesday and attempted to rent a car but was refused twice, the Daily Mail previously reported.

Photos captured the mom entering a friend’s black Lincoln sedan at her home and driving to two separate rental car locations.

The Daily Mail also previously revealed that Buzzard has a string of unpaid credit card debts.

Meanwhile an eerie Google Maps photo taken in May 2023 captured Melodee on camera on her doorstep with a teacher.

The girl’s aunt, Lizabeth Meza, told the Daily Mail that she hasn’t spoken with her niece or Ashlee in 4.5 years.

‘Ashlee isolated herself and Melodee from the entire family, and we were told years ago that she was adopted out,’ she said.

Lizabeth added that Ashlee had previously lost custody of Melodee due to mental health concerns.

Lizabeth and Melodee’s half-sister, Corinna, has repeatedly tried to contact Ashlee, but said the mom has refused to speak with them.

Ashlee was pictured walking to a friend’s black Lincoln sedan early on Wednesday morning and was driven to two car rental locations

Authorities have said that Ashlee was ‘uncooperative’ when approached about her daughter’s whereabouts. The public has been asked to report any potential sightings of the girl

As the desperate search continues, authorities are asking the community to report any possible sightings or information on Melodee’s whereabouts.

Law enforcement noted that the public shouldn’t conduct their own searches since it could interfere with the official investigation.

Melodee is around 4 feet 6 inches tall, 60 lbs., and has brown hair and brown eyes.