Harmony Montgomery was last seen in October 2019, but wasn’t reported missing until December 2021. Key signs of abuse were overlooked.
According to NBC Boston, in December 2021, New Hampshire police turned to the public to ask for help regarding a missing seven-year-old girl. Harmony Montgomery was five-years-old when she disappeared in 2019 and per the police report, “The circumstances surrounding this prolonged absence are very concerning and are being thoroughly investigated.” Law enforcement was using every available resource to try and locate Harmony, who was last seen in Manchester, N.H., in October 2019.
Article continues below advertisement
At a press conference, Police Chief Allen Aldenberg of the Manchester Police Department told the media, “For us to have a two year delay, that is extremely concerning. That’s not something that happens to us on a regular basis. It doesn’t happen every day.” The initial police report was filed by Harmony’s mother, who had lost custody of her daughter due to substance abuse. What happened to Harmony Montgomery? Here’s what we know.
Article continues below advertisement
Harmony Montgomery’s mother hadn’t spoken to her daughter since April 2019.
The Independent reported that Crystal Sorey, Harmony’s mother, lost custody of her daughter due to substance abuse issues in July 2018. Seven months later, full custody was granted to Harmony’s father. Adam Montgomery who was living in New Hampshire at the time. Sorey resided in Massachusetts, so the last time she communicated with Harmony in April 2019 was via Facetime.
After that call, Sorey said Montgomery cut all ties between her and Harmony, per WMUR. Montgomery refused to speak to anyone, including Sorey and members of her family. Sorey spent months trying to speak with someone from the New Hampshire Division for Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) as well as local law enforcement. Desperate for help, she emailed the Manchester mayor’s office on Dec. 29, 2021. Two days later, police finally announced they were looking for Harmony.
Article continues below advertisement
Harmony Montgomery’s time with her father was fraught.
When Harmony was born in June 2014, Montgomery was serving time in prison and already had a lengthy criminal record. “Court records show Adam Montgomery has offenses in New Hampshire and Massachusetts dating back to the early 2000s, including convictions for robbery, assault and firearms charges,” reported WMUR.
Article continues below advertisement
Montgomery’s relationship with his daughter was spotty at best, seeing her only nine times in the first four years of her life. When he finally gained full custody of Harmony in February 2019, there were already several mistakes made by government entities. A home visit wasn’t conducted by the New Hampshire Division for Children, Youth, and Families, who claimed they lacked necessary information from the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families.
Montgomery lived with his wife, Kayla Montgomery, and their two children when Harmony joined them. It was at this time that Montgomery’s uncle took note of abuse in the house. Kevin Montgomery said, “Harmony had a black eye in July 2019, which his nephew confessed to causing by hitting her in the face, according to a criminal complaint,” per The Independent.
Article continues below advertisement
Kevin contacted DCYF after witnessing Montgomery force Harmony to clean a toilet using her own toothbrush. She was also on the receiving end of harsh spankings from Montgomery.
What happened to Harmony Montgomery?
When police spoke with Kayla, she told a harrowing story of Harmony’s last moments. The family was on their way to Burger King when Harmony soiled herself in the backseat of the car they were living in at the time. In an affidavit, Kayla said Montgomery allegedly “delivered sets of three-to-four blows with a closed fist to Harmony’s face/head on three separate occasions over the course of a few minutes.” He turned to Kayla and said, “I think I really hurt her this time. I think I did something.”
Article continues below advertisement
They pulled into the Burger King and proceeded to do drugs while Harmony made moaning noises from the back of the car until she got silent. When their car broke down, the couple realized Harmony wasn’t breathing. They didn’t take her to a hospital but instead, “allegedly placed Harmony’s lifeless body in a red duffel bag,” and “would occasionally leave Harmony’s body out in the snow to slow the rate of decomposition.” Her body was moved to several locations, depending on where Montgomery and Kayla ended up.
In the spring of 2020, Kayla told authorities that Montgomery rented a U-Haul to dispose of Harmony’s body. Upon returning, Kayla claimed Montgomery said something along the lines of “it’s done.” When Harmony’s mother heard the details of her daughter’s alleged death, she couldn’t handle it. “I went to go run out of the room, and I turned the corner and just fainted,” she said.
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233.
Source: https://www.distractify.com/p/harmony-montgomery-mother