(NewsNation) — The mother of missing California 9-year-old Melodee Buzzard was released from custody and given a GPS monitor Wednesday following an arrest last week on unrelated charges.
Ashlee Buzzard, 40, pleaded not guilty in a Santa Barbara County courtroom Wednesday to a charge of false imprisonment. Buzzard was arrested in connection with an incident in which she allegedly prevented a man from leaving an area against his will.
That man, who described himself as a “legal document assistant,” released a statement Tuesday in which he said Ashlee Buzzard produced a box cutter and refused to let him leave her home after she “became visibly distressed after sharing information she appeared to regret disclosing.”
Charging documents filed in Santa Barbara County Superior Court described the crime as being committed with “planning, sophistication, or professionalism.”
The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office has not confirmed much information about the alleged crime or the victim’s claims to protect the ongoing investigation into the disappearance of Melodee Buzzard.
Ashlee Buzzard has been ordered to stay away from the man, Tyler S. Brewer, who told NewsNation this week that she revealed where Melodee Buzzard is and who she was left with.
He did not share any further details of her whereabouts with NewsNation, except to say he suspects the girl is in Utah. Brewer also shared concern about whether what Buzzard told him was true, given her state of mind and recent behavior.
What happened to Melodee Buzzard?
The search continues for missing 9-year-old California girl Melodee Buzzard for more than 30 days.
Melodee Buzzard was last seen on surveillance video with her mother on Oct. 9 during a cross-country road trip from California. Thus far, Ashlee Buzzard has been uncooperative with authorities amid the ongoing investigation.
Authorities noted that on Oct. 8, one day after the trip commenced, the white 2024 Chevrolet Malibu, a rental car driven by Buzzard, had a different license plate. Authorities say that when it was returned to the car rental business in Lompoc, California, on Oct. 10, it had the original California plates back on.
They also determined she was with her mother while driving through Green River, Utah, Panguitch, Utah, northwest Arizona, Primm, Nevada, and Rancho Cucamonga, California, on or around Oct. 9.
Melodee Buzzard was reported missing Oct. 14 by a Lompoc, California, Unified School District administrator. Her sister and aunt told “Banfield” on Monday that they are “in the dark” regarding Melodee, both from the authorities and her mother.
How can the public help?
Melodee Buzzard is approximately 4 feet, 6 inches tall, 60 pounds, with brown curly hair and brown eyes.
Anyone with information is urged to contact the sheriff’s office via the detectives line at 805-681-4150, the anonymous tip line at 805-681-4171 or online tips via www.sbsheriff.org/home/anonymous-tip/.
NewsNation’s Patrick Djordjevic and NewsNation affiliate KTLA in Los Angeles contributed to this report.