In a peculiar turn of events, Ashlee Buzzard, the mother of missing Californian girl Melodee Buzzard, has come into the spotlight as authorities intensify their search efforts. For the first time since the investigation began, Ashlee was seen in public, though her actions have only added to the mystery.

Ashlee, 40, was spotted making multiple attempts to rent a vehicle in Santa Maria, a town located roughly 20 miles from her humble residence in Lompoc, California. This series of events unfolded in a manner that has left many puzzled.

Exclusive images captured by the Daily Mail reveal Ashlee being picked up by a friend in a black Lincoln sedan early Wednesday. Her attempts to secure a rental from both a Budget location and an airport Avis were unsuccessful, presumably due to her ongoing legal issues related to unpaid credit card debts. She eventually returned home without a rental car.

Neighbors reported that shortly after Ashlee’s return, a vehicle carrying social workers arrived at her home. Despite their efforts, she once again refused to engage or open the door. This behavior mirrors her previous stance of avoiding questions regarding her daughter Melodee’s disappearance.

Throughout the past week, Ashlee has remained mostly secluded within her cream-colored cottage, consistently avoiding interactions with Child Protective Services (CPS) and Melodee’s extended family members. Her reluctance to cooperate has only intensified concerns surrounding the case, leaving many wondering about the next steps in this troubling situation.

Buzzard has repeatedly refused to answer questions about Melodee’s whereabouts and has spent most of the past week holed up in her cream-painted cottage ignoring visits from Child Protective Services [CPS] and her daughter’s extended family.

Adding to her troubles, a neighbor told the Daily Mail that Buzzard was handed a notice on Monday that gave her 72 hours to produce Melodee or reveal her whereabouts – or face arrest.

And in a sign that the clock is ticking down, Buzzard was shadowed by a fleet of six unmarked cop cars on her fruitless trip – one of which subsequently parked up on her quiet residential street while another was stationed nearby.

A few weeks after nine-year-old Melodee Buzzard was last seen, her ‘uncooperative’ mother Ashlee was spotted for the first time since she holed up at her modest three-bedroom home in Lompoc, California, emerging to try to rent a car in Santa Maria almost 20 miles away

Walking down the driveway and past her daughter’s missing sign, Ashlee got into her friends black Lincoln sedan early on Wednesday morning and was driven to a Budget and then an airport Avis location

Melodee was reported missing by Lompoc School District last week after her assignments weren’t picked up for two months – the FBI announced on Monday they were joining the search

The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department has been contacted for comment and further details.

Police efforts to find the girl, who was reported missing by Lompoc School District last week after she failed to pick up any assignments for two months, have ramped up in the past days with the FBI announcing they have joined the search on Monday.

The same day, cops announced there had been a sighting of Melodee on October 7 when her mother’s white Chevrolet Malibu was caught on camera on the way to Nebraska – more than 1,500 miles away from her California home.

Buzzard returned alone in a rental car and has since been ‘uncooperative’ – steadfastly refusing to reveal where the nine-year-old is.

‘Ashlee Buzzard remains uncooperative and has not provided detectives with any information about Melodee’s current location or condition,’ the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s office said in a Monday statement.

‘The primary goal of this investigation is to verify the location and welfare of Melodee Buzzard and ensure that she is safe.’

Buzzard, who previously declared bankruptcy after amassing debts totaling $23,000, has given Melodee a solitary lifestyle that includes being homeschooled and almost no involvement with her extended family, according to Melodee’s aunt, Lizabeth Meza.

With a face packed with blush and her curly auburn hair tied back in a ponytail, the heavily scrutinized mother was determined to accomplish her task today as she was allegedly handed a notice on Monday that gave her 72 hours to produce Melodee or reveal her whereabouts – or face arrest

Ashlee walking out of the Budget rental office after she struck out on her chance to rent a car – partially due to being pursued through court over a string of unpaid credit card debts

Child protective services from Santa Barbara were seen attempting to communicate with Ashlee at her home after she returned home, but she refused to answer the door

‘I haven’t talked to either Melodee or Ashlee in four and a half years,’ Lizabeth told the Daily Mail. ‘Ashlee isolated herself and Melodee from the entire family, and we were told years ago that she was adopted out.’

Lizabeth also revealed that Buzzard had previously lost custody of Melodee due to mental health woes, adding that she had a conversation with the mom-of-one in which she admitted psychological problems run in the family.

Both Lizabeth and Melodee’s half-sister Corinna Meza, 30, have made repeated attempts to contact Buzzard since the child vanished, with Meza seen fruitlessly banging on the door on Monday night.

‘We don’t know any more other than that she might be in Nebraska,’ Meza told the Daily Mail after being asked if she had any further updates on the search.

She added that Buzzard is still refusing to talk to her or her family, adding: ‘I’ve tried to give Ashlee my number twice, but she never got in touch.’

According to Lizabeth, Monday’s visit was Corinna’s second attempt to make contact and gave an account of a brief conversation they had last week.

Lizabeth said: ‘Corinna had asked Ashlee if she needed anything, if she could get Melodee anything, and if Melodee was okay. And then Ashlee said, “Why now? Why are you coming here now?”‘

The last confirmed sighting of Ashlee’s daughter was on October 7, in her mother’s white Chevrolet Malibu that was caught on camera heading to Nebraska – over 1,500 miles from their California home

Daily Mail photos show Melodee’s half-sister Corinna Meza banging on Ashlee’s door along with a group of women demanding to know the whereabouts of her sister. They told our outlet it was one of many attempts to get Ashlee to come outside and talk

Ashlee is astonishingly making rent on the home she shares with her missing daughter, despite filing Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2017, being unemployed and relying on social security payouts

When Corinna – who shares a dad with Melodee – explained that she hadn’t known where to look or where the child was, Buzzard snapped, ‘There’s reason for that’.

Lizabeth added: ‘Ashlee just kept repeating, “I hope your kids, and you are well” to Corinna. She never said anything about Melodee.’

Buzzard, who is unemployed and lives on social security payments, has also struggled with money problems for years and is currently being pursued in court over unpaid debts.

The most recent case, which was filed in May by Capital One, says Buzzard has an outstanding debt of $3,745.21 on a credit card she took out in January 2018 and stopped paying off in September 2023.

According to the company, Buzzard has steadfastly refused to pony up the balance – despite repeated requests for payment.

The card was issued less than nine months after the 40-year-old filed for bankruptcy in April 2017.

A Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing obtained by the Daily Mail shows Buzzard admitted to owing creditors $23,488 and had just $25 in her Chase bank account.

She also said her income totaled just $1,130 per month – all of which came from social security payments.

Despite that, in December 2019, Buzzard was allowed to take out a second credit card, this time via First Bank and Trust.

According to debt collection company Crown Asset Management – which is pursuing the mom for the outstanding balance – she owes $2,659.71 and stopped making payments on the card in February 2023.

Buzzard is still making the rent on the modest three-bedroom home in Lompoc that she shares with Melodee, which is currently surrounded by placards left by neighbors demanding to know the whereabouts of her daughter.