The FBI has announced it is assisting Santa Barbara County sheriff's detectives with the Melodee Buzzard case. The 9-year-old Vandenberg Village girl was reported missing last week and authorities say her mother has been uncooperative with the investigation.
Signs with “Where is Melodee” written on both sides now line the front of the young girl's home.
A few dozen people from the community came together along Mars Avenue late Sunday afternoon, pushing for answers from Melodee's mother, Ashlee Buzzard.
The search for her daughter began last week after a school administrator with the Lompoc Unified School District reported the girl’s absence from an independent studies program.
Authorities say a search warrant served at the home last week did not yield answers as to where the girl is.
WATCH: Missing Vandenberg Village girl seen as recently as August, officials say
The last confirmed sighting of Melodee was in August, according to the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office, which is asking anyone in the community who has seen the girl recently to contact them. No recent photos of Melodee have been made available, as family members KSBY has spoken with have said Ashlee has not allowed them to see Melodee for years.
A photo released by the sheriff's office is at least two years old.
“We’re all looking for answers, but you know, we’re showing up today so that way, you know, she (Ashlee) knows we care, we’re here for Melodee and hopefully she (Ashlee) will come out and tell us where she’s at,” said Corinna Meza, Melodee’s half sister. Their father died in a crash when Melodee was a baby.
Sheriff’s deputies made a few stops during Sunday’s gathering, at one point briefly addressing the crowd, saying they do not believe Ashlee has been home in the past 48 hours.
Neighbors strongly disagree, telling KSBY Community Reporter Crystal Bermudez they’ve seen signs of activity.
“Besides the garage been open almost 48 hours, which, we don’t know if she knows or not, she was burning something in the fireplace last night, but paper was coming out,” said Kacey Monreal, whose parents live nextdoor to the missing girl’s home.
The garage door has since been closed.
Tensions rose Sunday as families demanded immediate information, saying in unison, “Where is Melodee?” and "We want answers," over and over outside the home.
Two separate groups also joined together in prayer; one group praying for Melodee and the other praying for Melodee and her mother.
A new Facebook group dedicated to the search for Melodee had hundreds of members within hours of being created Sunday, with some community members saying they will continue gathering daily until the girl is found.
“I felt like nobody was doing anything, like actually moving, so I wanted to reach the community and a lot of us have daughters, it’s heartbreaking,” said Kandice Valerie of Lompoc, who helped organized Sunday's gathering.
The sheriff's office late last week told KSBY the case is a missing persons investigation, not a criminal investigation.
Investigators are asking anyone who may have seen Melodee or had any type of contact with her in the past year to contact the sheriff’s office at (805) 681-4150. Anonymous tips can be made by calling (805) 681-4171 or online at SBSheriff.org.
