LOMPOC, Calif. — The mother of a missing 9-year-old girl, last seen along the Utah border, who was arrested last week on a felony charge unrelated to her daughter’s disappearance, will be released from custody, a judge ruled Wednesday.

Ashlee Buzzard, 40, has been behind bars at the Santa Barbara County Northern Branch Jail in Santa Maria since her arrest on Friday.

A criminal complaint filed by the Santa Barbara County District Attorney's Office charged Buzzard with false imprisonment in connection with a Nov. 6 incident involving a man identified as Tyler S. Brewer.

Brewer, a local paralegal, said he knew Buzzard years ago and contacted her to assist with the missing person investigation involving Buzzard’s daughter, Melodee.

Brewer says on Nov. 6, he was visiting Buzzard at her Cali

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