The mother of missing 9-year-old Santa Barbara County girl Melodee Buzzard has again been taken into custody, according to multiple reports.

This video aired on the KTLA 5 Morning News on Dec. 23, 2025.

Details: https://ktla.com/news/california/melodee-buzzards-body-found-mother-arrested-reports-say/

Ashlee Buzzard, whose 9-year-old daughter, Melodee Buzzard, had been missing since October, was arrested Tuesday after the girl’s body was found in Utah earlier this month. KTLA's Kimberly Cheng reports on Dec. 23, 2025.

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Authorities say a woman has been charged with murder in her 9-year-old daughter death. The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office announced Tuesday that 40-year-old Ashlee Buzzard was taken into custody. Authorities say the remains of 9-year-old Melodee Buzzard were found in Utah. Police believe she has been dead since October when she first went missing. Her mother has been charged with murder. Detectives have been searching for the child since a school administrator reported her prolonged absence Oct. 14.

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