Missing California Girl's Car License Plates Swapped to Evade Detection

Authorities are intensifying the search for 9-year-old Melodee Buzzard, who disappeared while traveling with her mother, Ashlee Buzzard, on a road trip that began in California and extended as far as Nebraska and Kansas. Investigators revealed that the white 2024 Chevrolet Malibu rental car they used had its license plates switched from a California plate to a New York plate shortly after departure, likely as an effort to evade detection. Surveillance footage captured Melodee wearing a wig on October 7, indicating attempts to disguise her appearance, and she was last seen on October 9 near the Colorado-Utah border. Despite multiple searches of their residence and storage locker, Melodee has not been found, and Ashlee has been uncooperative with authorities regarding her daughter's whereabouts or welfare. Law enforcement agencies across several states are cooperating to fill gaps in the timeline of their travels, which included stops in Utah, Arizona, Nevada, and California during the return journey. The sheriff's office continues to urge the public to provide any information that may help locate Melodee.