(NewsNation) — Authorities have released new details involving the search for missing 9-year-old California girl Melodee Buzzard, last seen with her mother Oct. 7.

In a statement released Monday, the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office said Melodee left California with her mother, Ashlee Buzzard, on a cross-country trip that took them as far east as Nebraska and Kansas.

Notably, the sheriff's office stated that Oct. 8, one day after the trip commenced, the white 2024 Chevrolet Malibu, a hire car driven by Ashlee Buzzard, had a different license plate.

The car initially bore California license plate 9MNG101 and was then switched to a New York license plate HCG9677. It is unclear when this occurred, or if other plates were also used during the trip.

Authorities say that when it was ret

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