The mother of a missing girl, Ashlee Buzzard, is at the center of a false imprisonment case, and the purported victim, Tyler S. Brewer, believes that Ashlee’s daughter, Melodee Buzzard, might still be alive and residing in Utah.

Melodee, who is just 9 years old, has been missing for over a month, with no sightings for 32 days. Despite the active investigation, progress has been hindered by Ashlee’s lack of cooperation with law enforcement.

Could Melodee Buzzard be alive in Utah?

Brewer, who claims to have been held against his will by Ashlee—a charge she now faces—stated that Ashlee confided in him about Melodee’s location and the person she was left with.

While Brewer refrained from disclosing further specifics, he indicated his suspicion that Melodee is in Utah. However, he expressed doubt about the accuracy of Ashlee’s claims due to her recent erratic behavior.

According to Brewer, his acquaintance with Ashlee dates back to 2014 through a mutual friend. Since the news of Melodee’s disappearance broke, he has been visiting the Buzzards’ residence in Lompac, California, to check on Ashlee’s well-being.

Ashlee Buzzard’s false imprisonment charge

On Friday, Ashlee was arrested and charged with felony false imprisonment, which authorities said was unrelated to the disappearance of her daughter.

In the criminal complaint obtained by , Ashlee is accused of “violating the personal liberty” of Brewer. The complaint says that the crime happened last Thursday, and added, “The manner in which the crime was carried out indicates planning, sophistication, or professionalism.”

Ashlee will be in court Wednesday afternoon to face the felony charge. In the interim, she remains jailed in the Santa Maria area.

Brewer alleges Ashlee started acting irrationally on Oct. 6 while he was visiting her home, accusing him of working with the police and the paternal side of her family to take Melodee away from her.

He said Ashlee kept shutting her eyes and making fists, and blocked the door, preventing him from leaving. She then slammed the front door and engaged four locks on that door. He noted that Ashlee eventually let him leave, and he went straight to the authorities to report what happened.

Brewer claimed Ashlee has mental health issues, is extremely paranoid, and is a totally different person from when they first met. He said he has grave concerns about Melodee’s well-being,

Ashlee Buzzard’s troubled upbringing

Lori Miranda, the mother of Ashlee Buzzard, spoke with about her daughter, with whom she has not spoken since 2023, about their troubled life.

During her upbringing, Ashlee Buzzard was, at times, homeless with Miranda, as they fled Ashlee’s allegedly abusive father. A 1995 Santa Maria Times article revealed their plight, facts confirmed to by Miranda.

Lori Miranda told the outlet that when she was 33 and Ashlee was 9, they moved from place to place, often sleeping in hotels, to be free of Miranda’s husband, and that he would break their windows and harass the pair.

Ashlee participated in a homeless education project, and the pair spent time living in a Good Samaritan shelter.