Man Says Mother of Missing 9-Year-Old Told Him She Left Daughter with Utah Couple Met at a Zoo

Overview: A man who says he was held inside the home of Ashlee Buzzard says she told him she left her missing 9-year-old daughter, Melodee Buzzard, with a Utah couple she claimed to have met at a zoo. The disclosure is among several conflicting accounts investigators are examining as they search for the child.

What the man says

The man, identified in media accounts as Tyler Brewer and who says he works as a court officer, told reporters that Buzzard admitted placing Melodee temporarily with the out-of-state couple. Brewer said Buzzard became visibly distressed after sharing the information, then allegedly pulled out a box cutter and locked the home’s doors when he tried to leave.

“I don’t want to believe that she could have hurt Melodee at all, because I think that she does love Melodee in her own way,” Brewer said, adding that Buzzard would not give a clear yes or no answer when asked if the child had been harmed or trafficked.

Investigation timeline and travel details

Authorities opened an investigation into Melodee’s whereabouts on Oct. 14 after a school administrator reported the child had not been seen at school for a prolonged period. Deputies say Ashlee Buzzard could not provide a verifiable explanation for Melodee’s location when questioned.

Officials released surveillance video from a rental car facility in Lompoc, California, that appears to show Ashlee and Melodee wearing wigs. Investigators say the pair left California on Oct. 7 in a Chevrolet Malibu and traveled as far as Nebraska, with the return route including Kansas. On Oct. 8, the Malibu was recorded using a New York license plate that detectives say was not registered to Buzzard and may have been used to avoid detection; the original California plate was reportedly reattached when the car was returned to the rental agency.

Detectives believe the vehicle moved through several states — including California, Arizona, Utah and Nevada — around Oct. 9. According to Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office public information officer Raquel Zick, investigators think Buzzard and Melodee separated at some point along that route.

Description and legal developments

Melodee Buzzard is described by authorities as between 4 feet and 4 feet 6 inches tall, weighing roughly 60 to 100 pounds, with brown curly hair and brown eyes.

Separately, Ashlee Buzzard was charged with felony false imprisonment in connection with an alleged Nov. 6 incident in which Brewer says he was held inside her home. That charge was dismissed by a judge at a Nov. 20 hearing, according to court records.

Representatives for Buzzard have not provided a public statement for this account. Investigators continue to seek information from anyone who may have seen the pair or who recognizes the people described.