Melodee Buzzard, a 9-year-old girl who vanished during a road trip with her mother, is found dead, source says
By Josh Campbell, Holly Yan, CNN
(CNN) — The remains of missing 9-year-old California girl Melodee Buzzard have been found, a law enforcement source familiar with the case told CNN on Tuesday.
Her mother, Ashlee Buzzard, has also been arrested, the source said. A spokesperson at the Santa Maria North Branch Jail said only that Ashlee Buzzard was in custody but did not provide further details.
CNN is attempting to determine whether Buzzard has an attorney.
The young girl’s remains were found by authorities in Utah, the source said. It’s not clear when they were found.
The Utah Department of Public Safety referred CNN to the FBI in Los Angeles. The FBI did not return calls for comment.
Melodee’s paternal grandmother told CNN affiliates KEYT and KSBY that Melodee’s body has been discovered. The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office informed the paternal grandmother, Lilly Denes, that her granddaughter’s body had been recovered, KEYT reported.
CNN has left a message for the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office.
CNN has reached out to the grandmother, who declined comment because she is on her way to a news conference.
The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office said it will share “major developments” in the investigation at a 2 p.m. (5 p.m. ET) news conference.
Melodee was last seen October 9 in surveillance video around the Colorado-Utah state line. Her mother “remained uncooperative and has not confirmed Melodee’s location or welfare,” authorities said November 3.
The FBI joined the search for Melodee, a case that has drawn widespread attention well outside Southern California.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
The-CNN-Wire
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CNN’s Danya Gainor and Sophia Peyser contributed to this report.
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