A rental car carrying a missing 9-year-old Santa Barbara County girl likely had its license plates swapped to avoid detection during a road trip to the Midwest and back to California, investigators said Monday.

The new details were provided in a Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Department update on the search for Melodee Buzzard The sheriff's department began investigating the case Oct. 14 after a school administrator reported the Melodee had not been seen at school for several days.

Stream Los Angeles News for free, 24/7, wherever you are. WATCH HERE

Detectives said Melodee and mother Aslee Buzzard left California Oct. 7 in a white 2024 Chevrolet Malibu with license plate license plate 9MNG101. They traveled as far as Nebraska before the return trip, authorities said.

Melodee was

See Full Page