Missing Melodee Buzzard’s mother allegedly told man she left daughter with strangers she met at zoo: report

Ashlee Buzzard allegedly told a antheral that she near her missing 9-year-old girl with a Utah mates that she had met astatine a zoo.

The antheral who accused Buzzard of holding him captive wrong her location told NewsNation that she near her missing 9-year-old daughter, Melodee Buzzard, with a mates successful Utah that she had met astatine a zoo.

According to the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office, an probe into Melodee's whereabouts was opened connected Oct. 14 aft a schoolhouse head reported a "prolonged" play of clip erstwhile she wasn't seen astatine the school. Buzzard couldn't springiness deputies a verifiable mentation for her daughter's location.

Tyler Brewer, who said he's a tribunal officer, said Buzzard told him accusation that she "appeared to regret disclosing," pulled retired a container cutter and locked the doors to her home, ABC News reported. He said Buzzard "became visibly distressed aft sharing accusation she appeared to regret disclosing" erstwhile she allegedly pulled retired the container cutter and refused to fto him leave.

Buzzard was charged with felony mendacious imprisonment from the alleged Nov. 6 incident, but a justice dismissed that complaint during a Nov. 20 tribunal hearing.

MELODEE BUZZARD’S MOM PLOTTED TO ‘CUT OFF’ MISSING 9-YEAR-OLD FROM ‘ENTIRE WORLD,’ GRANDMA SAYS

California ma Ashlee Buzzard has been uncooperative with investigators looking for her missing 9-year-old daughter, Melodee Buzzard.  (KKFX/FBI)

Brewer, who visited Buzzard's location respective times, said helium wasn't definite if the accusation she gave him regarding Melodee's determination was true. He said Buzzard began fake-crying erstwhile she was asked if Melodee was killed oregon trafficked.

"I don’t privation to judge that she could person wounded Melodee astatine all, due to the fact that I deliberation that she does emotion Melodee successful her ain way, but the information that she won’t springiness maine a wide yes oregon nary reply makes maine highly uncomfortable," Brewer said.

According to Brewer, Buzzard's cross-country travel she took with Melodee was done "at the instructions of individuals that she hardly adjacent knows."

Buzzard told Brewer that Melodee needed to beryllium temporarily relocated due to the fact that she was scheduled for an outpatient surgery, helium told the outlet.

Melodee Buzzard, 9, remains missing aft traveling with her parent Ashlee done aggregate states earlier the car was returned to a rental agency. (KKFX)

"In her mind, it’s thing that Melodee needs to beryllium distant from her for astatine slightest a period oregon two, an effort for Ashlee to bash the surgeries, the aesculapian care, and get backmost connected her feet truthful she could instrumentality attraction of Melodee," Brewer said.

Investigators antecedently released surveillance video from a rental car determination successful Lompoc, California, showing Ashlee and Melodee Buzzard seemingly some wearing wigs.

According to authorities, Buzzard near California with her 9-year-old girl connected Oct. 7 and traveled arsenic acold arsenic Nebraska successful a Chevrolet Malibu bearing a California licence plate, with the instrumentality travel including Kansas.

Ashlee Buzzard, left, the parent of Melodee Buzzard, right, is seen successful a surveillance representation taken astatine a rental car concern successful Lompoc, Calif., connected Oct. 7, 2025. (Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office)

On Oct. 8, the Malibu was seen with a New York licence plate. Detectives said the New York sheet doesn't beryllium to Buzzard, and they deliberation it was utilized arsenic a "false oregon switched sheet to debar detection." When the car was returned to the rental car bureau successful California, the archetypal licence sheet was allegedly placed backmost connected the car.

MELODEE BUZZARD DISAPPEARANCE: NEW SURVEILLANCE PHOTOS SHOW MISSING CALIFORNIA GIRL, 9, IN POSSIBLE DISGUISE

Detectives judge the Malibu traveled done respective areas betwixt California, Arizona, Utah and Nevada connected oregon astir Oct. 9.

The Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office released a caller representation of Melodee Buzzard "captured astatine a section car rental concern connected October 7." (Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office )

"Somewhere on that way is wherever we cognize Ashlee was nary longer with Melodee," Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office Public Information Officer Raquel Zick told KUTV.

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Investigators accidental Ashlee and Melodee Buzzard were connected a roadworthy travel erstwhile the miss disappeared. (Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office)

Melodee is described by officials arsenic 4-feet to 4-feet, 6-inches tall, 60 to 100 pounds, with brownish curly hairsbreadth and brownish eyes.

Fox News Digital has reached retired to Buzzard's lawyer for comment.

Fox News Digital's Stepheny Price contributed to this report.