Members of the family are desperately trying to find Melodee Buzzard, a 9-year-old woman who was final seen in Lompoc in August and whose mom refuses to reply questions on her whereabouts.
Melodee was formally reported lacking Tuesday after officers on the Lompoc Unified College District contacted the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Workplace to report her extended absence, in line with authorities.
The woman had enrolled in an impartial studying program in August, the varsity district mentioned in an announcement, and sheriff’s officers say she has not been seen since.
Sheriff’s deputies went to the woman’s house in Vandenberg Village on Tuesday. Inside they made contact with Ashlee Buzzard, Melodee’s mom, however the woman was nowhere to be seen, in line with authorities. Her mom stays uncooperative with the investigation.
Vicky Shade, Melodee’s aunt, mentioned that the woman’s mom has a protracted historical past of psychological sickness and refused to let relations go to the woman.
“Ashlee is mentally unstable and my mother tried to get custody or at the least grandparent rights to go to Melodee as a result of she [Ashlee] wasn’t letting our facet of the household see her,” Shade mentioned.
Shade’s brother, Rubiell Meza, is Ashlee’s father. He died in a bike accident in 2016, shortly after Melodee was born.
Buzzard and Rubiell Meza beforehand lived in Santa Maria with Meza’s mom. Nonetheless, Buzzard moved away shortly after Meza died and adjusted her telephone quantity, Shade mentioned.
“I’m horrified for my little niece, I can’t think about what she’s gone by,” Shade mentioned. “This doesn’t sound good. I simply wish to know if she’s OK. We have to discover her.”
The latest photograph out there of Melodee is 2 years outdated, in line with the Sheriff’s Workplace.
One other one among Melodee’s aunts, Lizabeth Meza, mentioned that Buzzard had struggled with psychological sickness for years. She mentioned Buzzard has tried to take her personal life a number of instances and was beforehand hospitalized for therapy.
Meza’s household has not been in a position to see Melodee in round 4 and a half years, she mentioned.
They’re presently centered on placing up lacking youngster posters round Lompoc and sharing Melodee’s story on social media in hopes of producing leads concerning the woman’s whereabouts.
Buzzard was seen coming into her Vandenberg Village house Thursday by native TV station KSBY, however refused to talk with a reporter. She additionally didn’t reply to requests from The Occasions for remark.
Federal courtroom data present that Buzzard filed for Chapter 7 chapter in 2017 and has had at the least 5 collections instances for unpaid money owed filed towards her in Santa Barbara County Superior Court docket. This contains instances filed towards her by Capital One Financial institution in Could and December, and by Crown Asset Administration final November.
Sheriff’s Workplace spokesperson Raquel Zick mentioned that Melodee had beforehand been homeschooled for a number of years. Nonetheless, the California Division of Training has no report of Buzzard submitting a non-public faculty affidavit, which is a requirement for homeschooling, in line with division spokesperson Scott Roark.
In accordance with an announcement from the Lompoc Unified College District, Melodee and her mom visited Mission Valley Unbiased Examine College to provoke her registration in August. However Melodee then failed to select up assignments, prompting the varsity to provoke outreach attain out to her mom, and, finally, legislation enforcement.
“Lompoc Unified College District deserves credit score for recognizing that one thing wasn’t proper, reaching out, and persevering with to help with this investigation,” Sheriff’s Lt. Chris Gotschall mentioned in an announcement. “This essential replace helps slender a big hole within the timeline of when she was final recognized to be seen and due to that, we’re nearer to understanding what occurred to Melodee.”
Anybody with details about Melodee is requested to contact the Sheriff’s Workplace at (805) 681-4150. Suggestions can be left anonymously at (805) 681-4171 or at SBSheriff.org.
