Melodee Buzzard’s Cause of Death Revealed, as Mom Is Charged

Authorities have revealed that 9-year-old Melodee Buzzard, whose October disappearance sparked a weeks-long search spanning several states, died from gunshot wounds to the head.

Melodee was last seen on Oct. 9 with her mother Ashlee Buzzard at the Colorado-Utah border, according to the Santa Barbara Sheriff’s Office.

Melodee’s remains were found in a remote area in Caineville, Utah, on Dec. 6, and Ashlee was arrested three weeks later, the sheriff’s office announced this week.

The child’s body was decomposed, per the sheriff’s office, which previously said she was likely killed in October.

DNA analysis confirmed on Monday, Dec. 22, that the remains belonged to Melodee.

It wasn’t immediately clear how many times Melodee had been shot or if there were other injuries on her body, according to the sheriff’s office. When contacted by PEOPLE on Wednesday, Dec. 24, the office said they have no further details.

Melodee’s disappearance was first reported on Oct. 14 when a local school told police about her “prolonged” absence.

Police statements said that Ashlee, 40, was allegedly uncooperative with authorities from early on in the investigation, which revealed that she had traveled across several states with Melodee since Oct. 7, and returned home on Oct. 10 without the child.

During their travels, authorities have alleged, Ashlee changed Melodee’s appearance with a wig, which may have been used to “alter her appearance.”

Security camera footage from a California car rental business on Oct. 7 shows Melodee wearing a hoodie, with short, wavy hair — much in contrast to her long and voluminous curls seen in missing persons posters.

During the investigation, Ashlee was arrested on unrelated charges of false imprisonment in November.

The alleged victim in that case told police Ashlee brandished a box cutter and stopped him from leaving her home, having become “visibly distressed after sharing information she appeared to regret disclosing,” KTLA and ABC News reported at the time, citing officials.

Those charges were dropped after an audio recording played in court disputed the man’s claims, showing that Ashlee had opened the door for him to leave, KEYT reported at the time.

Melodee’s family has claimed that Ashlee kept her away from them for years. The child’s father died in a car accident when she was a baby.

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Ashlee has been charged with first-degree murder and is being held without bail at the the Santa Barbara County Northern Branch Jail, per the sheriff’s office.

It wasn’t immediately clear if she has retained an attorney to speak on her behalf. Online court records for the case weren’t available as of Wednesday.

If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.