Melodee Buzzard: New Photo Sparks Questions In Missing Child Case

Melodee Buzzard, 9, disappeared, and it all seems rather mysterious. As the details emerge, investigators suggest that there was a possible cross-country journey and an effort to change the child’s appearance. A new photo that emerged is being discussed as to whether it could be her or not. 

The Missing Child News

Although right now, it doesn’t seem as if it can fit the category of true crime, there is some possibility that something bad happened. Lawmakers claim that the Lompoc girl was last seen with her mother, Ashlee Buzzard, on October 7, 2025, during a road trip.

Additionally, it’s believed that it was an education administrator who noticed the lack of assignments by the child. Suspicious, they reported it, and a missing child case was opened.

Discussing The New Photo

On Saturday, Ashleigh Banfield dedicated time to it on her News Nation program. First, she reminded viewers of the critical details, showing a surveillance photo. Next, she brought the child’s aunt, Elizabeth Meza, into the conversation to provide a family perspective on the situation.

The photo, released by investigators, allegedly showed Melodee at a car rental business wearing a hooded sweatshirt and what appears to be a wig. Based on that, investigators suggested that possibly, someone made a deliberate attempt to disguise the girl.

The line taken at the moment, is that the mom may have driven as far as Nebraska with her daughter, before returning to California, alone.

Does The Photo Look Like Her?

Banfield asked Elizabeth if the child in the photo looked like her niece. In her reply, the aunt said, “I mean, we haven’t seen her in four and a half years. So she’s just a little four-year-old girl and we had no known photo, but that nose, definitely, you see her dad’s. So yeah, she does look like her.”

Additionally, the duo discussed the time period when Ashley cut off the family. Elizabeth agreed that it might have been from when Melodee’s dad died in a road accident. Elizabeth agreed it did seem that way, saying, “That was when it started. [Ashley’s] mental health declined even more, and she just slowly cut everything off even more.”

Isolation & Little Cooperation 

Notably, they had some contact, and Elizabeth spoke about when Ashley took the child to visit with her mother-in-law. That came “after Easter.” However, “you could definitely tell at that time Ashley was unwell. She had her hair very short, like a buzz cut, and she was at that time wearing a hoodie.” So she made an excuse to leave quickly, saying, “I can’t do this.”

A major obstacle seems to be the mother’s lack of cooperation with law enforcement. Reportedly, Melodee didn’t go to school and studied at home. Plus, her mom seemed to keep her life rather isolated.

Viewers React

Of course, the news about yet another missing child in what might be suspicious circumstances raises the antennas of true crime followers. One viewer opined, “This case is just weird.”

Meanwhile, others thought the new photo looked nothing like the child.

Here are a few other responses from the discussion area:

• That is an older Woman, not a little girl.
• Doesn’t look like the same person to me.
• I pray she didn’t traffic her daughter or worse. This is heartbreaking!
• Someone should’ve advocated for this child when they knew the mom was mentally unstable. Now you’re on the news after she’s missing.

What are your thoughts? Let us know in the comments below and come back here often for all your true crime news and updates.