The mother of a missing 9-year-old girl, Melodee Buzzard, has been implicated in a case of false imprisonment, and her alleged victim believes Melodee might still be in Utah.
Melodee has been missing for over a month, with 32 days passing with no sightings. Meanwhile, Ashlee Buzzard, her mother, has not been cooperative with law enforcement during the search efforts.
Could Melodee Buzzard be alive in Utah?
Tyler S. Brewer, who claims to have been falsely imprisoned by Ashlee, disclosed to authorities that Ashlee confided in him about the location of her daughter and the person she was left with.
While Brewer did not provide further specifics, he expressed his belief that Melodee could be in Utah. However, he also voiced doubts about Ashlee’s statements, citing concerns about her mental state and recent actions.
Brewer mentioned that he has known Ashlee through a mutual friend since 2014. Concerned for her well-being after Melodee’s disappearance garnered media attention, he frequently visited the Buzzard family home in Lompoc, California.
Ashlee Buzzard’s false imprisonment charge
Ashlee was taken into custody on Friday and charged with felony false imprisonment, an accusation authorities stated was not connected to her daughter’s disappearance.
In the criminal complaint obtained by , Ashlee is accused of “violating the personal liberty” of Brewer. The complaint says that the crime happened last Thursday, and added, “The manner in which the crime was carried out indicates planning, sophistication, or professionalism.”
Ashlee will be in court Wednesday afternoon to face the felony charge. In the interim, she remains jailed in the Santa Maria area.
Brewer alleges Ashlee started acting irrationally on Oct. 6 while he was visiting her home, accusing him of working with the police and the paternal side of her family to take Melodee away from her.
He said Ashlee kept shutting her eyes and making fists, and blocked the door, preventing him from leaving. She then slammed the front door and engaged four locks on that door. He noted that Ashlee eventually let him leave, and he went straight to the authorities to report what happened.
Brewer claimed Ashlee has mental health issues, is extremely paranoid, and is a totally different person from when they first met. He said he has grave concerns about Melodee’s well-being,
Ashlee Buzzard’s troubled upbringing
Lori Miranda, the mother of Ashlee Buzzard, spoke with about her daughter, with whom she has not spoken since 2023, about their troubled life.
During her upbringing, Ashlee Buzzard was, at times, homeless with Miranda, as they fled Ashlee’s allegedly abusive father. A 1995 Santa Maria Times article revealed their plight, facts confirmed to by Miranda.
Lori Miranda told the outlet that when she was 33 and Ashlee was 9, they moved from place to place, often sleeping in hotels, to be free of Miranda’s husband, and that he would break their windows and harass the pair.
Ashlee participated in a homeless education project, and the pair spent time living in a Good Samaritan shelter.
