Mother of missing California girl Melodee Buzzard has separate false imprisonment charge dismissed

The California mother of a missing 9-year-old girl appeared in court Thursday where a felony false imprisonment charge filed against her in a separate case was dismissed, her attorney said. Authorities have said Ashlee Buzzard, 40, has been uncooperative in the search for her daughter, Melodee Buzzard, who was last seen early last month while on a road trip with her mother. Ashlee Buzzard was charged with false imprisonment in a separate case on Nov. 10 by the Santa Barbara District Attorney's Office. Prosecutors said that charge was in connection with a Nov. 6 incident in the California city of Lompoc. Buzzard had pleaded not guilty to the charge last week. The charge stemmed from the claims of a man named Tyler Brewer who, along with a Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department detective, testified in court Thursday, according to Buzzard’s defense attorney, Adrian Galvan. Brewer testified that he and Buzzard shared a mutual friend from 10 years ago. In late October, he had reached out to Buzzard and "presented himself as a legal professional" by sending her a letter on legal professional letterhead, prompting communications between the two, Galvan told NBC News. He told the court that he made five visits to Buzzard’s home between Nov. 1 and 6 after reaching out to her and offering assistance, NBC affiliate KSBY of San Luis Obispo reported. The evening of Nov. 6, Brewer said he felt threatened while at her home, and that she had a box cutter and that he wasn't allowed to leave, KSBY reported. The detective was asked questions on cross examination that challenged Brewer’s credibility, Galvan said. “From the defense’s perspective, Tyler presented himself with the aura of honesty, trustworthiness and confidentiality, and what came out was Tyler Brewer was simultaneously speaking to Ashlee and divulging information to law enforcement,” Galvan said. Ultimately, Judge Stephen Dunkle dismissed the charge. With the dismissal, Buzzard is no longer under electronic monitoring, he said. Meanwhile, the search for Melodee Buzzard continues. The investigation into the child’s disappearance stared Oct. 14 after a school administrator reported Melodee’s prolonged absence. Investigators tried to contact the child and Buzzard at their Lompoc home but Melodee was not there and there was “no clear explanation” for her whereabouts, the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office said. Melodee and her mother were captured on video on Oct. 7 at a rental car location in Lompoc, both seen wearing wigs, before embarking on a road trip together. Melodee was last seen with her mother on Oct. 9, on video in the region between the Colorado-Utah border, the sheriff’s office said. On the trip, they left California and traveled as far as Nebraska, with a return trip that included Kansas, officials said. They traveled in a rented white 2024 Chevrolet Malibu with a California license plate, that was swapped for a New York license plate. By the time the vehicle was returned to the Lompoc rental agency, the original California plate was back on. The sheriff's office released a travel route map of that road trip. They believe the vehicle went through the areas of Green River and Panguitch in Utah; northwest Arizona; Primm, Nevada; and Rancho Cucamonga, California, on or around Oct. 9. Officials are asking businesses, gas stations, and community members in those areas review video footage from Oct. 9 to 10 for any potential sightings of the pair. Officials noted that Buzzard "has been uncooperative with investigators" and "has not confirmed Melodee’s location or welfare." Search warrants have been served at Buzzard’s home as well as a storage locker and the rental car she used. Melodee is described as 4 feet 6 inches tall, 60 pounds, with brown curly hair and brown eyes. Anyone who has seen Melodee or has information about her whereabouts is asked to contact the Santa Barbara county Sheriff's Office.