It’s been two years since Adam Montgomery was charged with the homicide of his five-year-old daughter Harmony, and now, he’s lastly headed to trial over the stunning case that sparked uproar throughout America.
Harmony was final seen in October or November 2019 in Manchester, New Hampshire, however for 2 whole years, no one reported her lacking.
Despite the delayed painstaking efforts to seek out the lacking baby, investigators made little headway after they ultimately requested the general public for details about Harmony’s whereabouts in December 2021.
Then, simply six months into the lacking individuals investigation, the little lady’s father was arrested and later charged with second-degree homicide, tampering with witnesses, falsifying proof and abuse of a corpse.
Authorities disclosed in an affidavit for Adam Montgomery’s 2022 arrest that his spouse, Kayla Montgomery, had come ahead alleging he fatally struck Harmony within the head when she had a rest room incident within the automobile. Montgomery allegedly positioned Harmony’s physique in a cooler that he then snuck into his office freezer, earlier than disposing of the stays in March 2020 at an unknown location.
At the time of Harmony’s disappearance, she lived together with her father, stepmother and the couple’s two kids. Harmony’s mom, Crystal Sorey, had misplaced custody of her daughter as a consequence of her then ongoing substance abuse issues.
Montgomery, 34, has pleaded not responsible to the costs and has maintained his innocence.
With jury choice in Montgomery’s trial set to start this week, right here’s all the pieces we all know in regards to the disturbing case:
Who was Harmony Montgomery?
Harmony was born in June 2014. At the time, her father was in jail earlier than his launch in 2015.
The little lady was faraway from her mom’s care no less than thrice within the first 4 years of her life, in keeping with WMUR.
In July 2018, the Department of Child Services positioned Harmony in a foster residence after eradicating custody from her mom as a consequence of her drug habit.
In February 2019, Montgomery was granted custody of Harmony earlier than a assessment of his residence was accomplished by the New Hampshire Division of Children, Youth and Families. Ms Sorey lived in Massachusetts so the kid was moved to New Hampshire the place Montgomery lived.
When was Harmony final seen?
The final confirmed sighting of Harmony by regulation enforcement was on 11 September 2019 when Manchester cops had been known as to the house on 77 Gilford Street in Manchester the place she lived.
Harmony was residing together with her father in addition to his spouse Kayla Montgomery and their kids on the property on the time.
Law enforcement mentioned the final police callout to the property was in October 2019 however later confirmed he had muddled the dates.
This timeline seems to be based mostly on police interviews and statements from varied members of the family.
Missing posters of lacking seven-year-old Harmony Montgomery
Ms Sorey instructed police she had not been in a position to contact her since they spoke on a video name in April 2019. After that, she mentioned Montgomery minimize off all contact between her and her daughter.
Montgomery first claimed to investigators he final noticed his daughter round Thanksgiving 2019, claiming that Ms Sorey had picked her up from Manchester to take her to stay together with her.
The prison grievance says that Montgomery claimed to imagine his daughter was residing along with his ex and did “not show much emotion or reaction” when officers mentioned they had been involved whether or not Harmony was alive after they contacted him in December 2021.
His story was additionally contradicted by Kayla Montgomery’s account, who mentioned she final noticed Harmony the day after Thanksgiving when her husband mentioned he was driving her to see Ms Sorey. Montgomery’s uncle Kevin Montgomery instructed investigators he has not seen Harmony or his nephew since late 2019 when she was 5 years previous.
Relatives had alerted police of abuse
Police interviews with different members of the family revealed Montgomery was allegedly abusive towards his daughter, together with giving her a black eye, forcing her to scrub the bathroom together with her personal toothbrush and making her stand in a nook for hours as a punishment.
Montgomery’s brother Michael Montgomery instructed investigators he “had concerns that Adam was physically abusive” to the kid and was “super short” together with her.
Kevin Montgomery mentioned he observed Harmony had a black eye in July 2019, which his nephew confessed to inflicting by hitting her within the face, in keeping with the prison grievance.
“I bashed her around this house,” he mentioned his nephew instructed him.
Kevin mentioned he contacted DCYF that point and had additionally observed Mr Montgomery topic Harmony to different types of “abusive discipline” together with scrubbing a bathroom together with her toothbrush and her being “spanked hard on the butt”.
Who has been charged?
In early January 2019, Harmony’s father and his spouse had been each arrested and charged on counts associated to the lacking baby.
Montgomery was initially charged with second-degree felony assault, two misdemeanour counts of endangering the welfare of a kid, and one misdemeanour rely of interference with custody. The day after her husband’s arrest, Kayla Montgomery was arrested on one felony cost of welfare fraud for allegedly fraudulently amassing welfare advantages for the lacking baby between December 2019 and June 2021.
Kayla Montgomery, who has three kids together with her estranged husband, fraudulently obtained $1,500 in meals stamp advantages meant for Harmony between December 2019 and June 2021 despite the fact that the lady was not residing with them.
Prosecutors later dropped that welfare fraud cost and added three new prices – one rely of theft by deception and two misdemeanour prices of welfare fraud. She pleaded responsible to 2 of these prices in November 2022 and reached a plea take care of the prosecution in alternate for her testimony towards Montgomery.
Then in October 2022, Attorney General John Formella introduced new prices of second-degree homicide towards Montgomery within the dying of Harmony. Documents launched at the moment additionally present that Kayla Montgomery, who was charged with unrelated theft prices, got here ahead with data that led to her estranged husband’s arrest.
Montgomery was charged with one rely of second-degree homicide for recklessly inflicting the dying of Harmony; falsifying bodily proof for altering, destroying, concealing or eradicating the lady’s physique; abuse of a corpse for unlawfully eradicating, concealing or destroying Harmony’s physique; and tampering with witnesses or informants, which he allegedly did by trying to coerce Kayla Montgomery, to deceive investigators.
“I do want to again express my deepest sympathies to Harmony’s family, friends and loved ones,” Mr Formella mentioned on the information convention in Manchester. “We understand that today’s news, while significant for purposes of this investigation, is yet another difficult moment for those who loved Harmony and those who have followed this case.”
Affidavit particulars Harmony’s tragic dying
During an interview with police detectives, Kayla Montgomery mentioned Montgomery repeatedly punched Harmony within the face on 7 December 2019, after turning into upset together with her for having toilet accidents within the automobile their household was staying in.
The household had been evicted from their residence in November 2019.
The 48-page affidavit of possible trigger was submitted with an arrest warrant for Montgomery. According to the doc, Kayla described how 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” on the December morning when she died.
After the ultimate blow, Adam reportedly mentioned “I think I really hurt her this time. I think I did something”, Kayla recalled, including Harmony made a “moaning type noise” for roughly 5 minutes “and then stopped”.
No one checked on Harmony or stopped to get her medical consideration, Kayla instructed investigating officers, because the household continued their experience to a Burger King earlier than returning to the house advanced the place they often parked their automobile since.
They remained within the car parking zone for 20 minutes earlier than driving off once more. In a second interview, Kayla admitted she and Adam used heroin and fentanyl throughout this interval. It was solely when their automobile, a Chrysler Sebring, broke down that Kayla and Adam found “Harmony was not breathing” and had died.
Montgomery then allegedly positioned Harmony’s lifeless physique in a purple duffel bag. While residing within the car parking zone, Kayla claimed Adam would often go away Harmony’s physique out within the snow to sluggish the speed of decomposition.
When the household moved in with Kayla’s mom and her boyfriend, Montgomery positioned the duffel bag in a purple cooler within the frequent hallway of their house constructing.
After that, the Montgomerys moved right into a shelter home, the place the bag started to leak. Montgomery reportedly put the duffel bag right into a trash bag, and stowed it inside a vent shaft within the ceiling of their room.
Police officers later eliminated your entire part of the ceiling, together with the vent, and located stains in line with indicators of decomposition.
Kayla gave detectives two completely different variations of how Montgomery transferred Harmony’s physique to a a lot smaller, maternity tote bag which “would not likely fit Harmony’s body unless it was dismembered or grossly distorted”.
In spring 2020, Kayla mentioned Montgomery rented a U-haul truck to get rid of Harmony’s physique through the midnight. When he returned the following morning, he allegedly “said words to the effect of ‘it’s done’”.
Harmony’s father Adam Montgomery in his reserving picture
Montgomery’s previous prison historical past
Montgomery has a historical past of violence and a protracted prison file together with convictions for capturing a person within the head in a drug deal simply six months earlier than Harmony was born. He was additionally convicted in 2010 for attacking two girls at gunpoint.
It has additionally emerged that Montgomery is a suspect within the chilly case homicide of a 28-year-old man in Lynn, New Hampshire, again in February 2008.
Darlin Guzman was discovered shot within the chest within the car parking zone of the previous White Hen Convenience retailer in Lynn’s Austin Square on the evening of 10 February 2008. He was pronounced lifeless in hospital.
Kayla Montgomery is pictured in her mugshot following her arrest
A regulation enforcement supply instructed Boston 25 News that Montgomery, who was 18 on the time, and two members of his household, who weren’t named, have been the main focus of the homicide investigation since day one.
The three members of the family had been involved with the sufferer earlier that day and deliberate to satisfy with him on the comfort retailer, earlier than the assembly culminated in gunfire, in keeping with the supply.
The sufferer’s automobile was later discovered deserted within the path of Bedford, New Hampshire, the place Mr Montgomery lived on the time.
No one has ever been charged with Guzman’s homicide however the supply mentioned Montgomery stays the main focus of the investigation to this present day.
In June 2023, Montgomery was discovered responsible of all counts in his trial regarding stolen weapons in 2019. He was sentenced to 32-and-a-half to 75 years in jail.
Why was Harmony not reported lacking for 2 years?
Questions arose over how a bit of lady couldn’t be seen for greater than two years with none motion being taken by authorities.
Multiple members of the family have mentioned they raised issues for Harmony’s security with New Hampshire’s Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) over the past two years.
Ms Sorey accused the authorities of “failing” her daughter. She mentioned she made a number of makes an attempt to report issues to baby companies.
On November 18 2021 she contacted Manchester Police saying she believed her daughter was lacking.
Police officers contacted the New Hampshire Division for Children, Youth and Families (DCYF) in regards to the location of the lacking baby. Then, on 27 December of that yr, the DCYF reported that it was additionally unable to find Harmony.
Manchester Police introduced a search was launched on 31 December 2021.
Harmony Montgomery’s mom Crystal Sorey speaks out at a vigil for her daughter
Ms Sorey was so satisfied that her daughter was in hassle that she despatched emails to the Manchester mayor’s workplace, begging for assist in discovering the lady.
“Please, I’m begging for help in finding my daughter,” she wrote on 29 December 2021.
Ms Sorey mentioned Montgomery had by no means enrolled their daughter at school and that she has missed “important doctor’s appointments she’s had since a baby due to a disability in her eye”.
The emails had been despatched simply two days earlier than police lastly reported Harmony lacking.
As effectively because the repeated makes an attempt to lift the alarm, the household was well-known to baby companies.
Records launched confirmed that cops had been known as to the Gilford Street residence no less than 10 occasions between February 2019 – when Mr Montgomery acquired custody of Harmony – and when she was final seen within the fall.
Reports ranged from claims of home disturbances to animal welfare and issues in regards to the residing situations within the residence.
The DCYF was notified about among the incidents.
A neighbour instructed The Independent in 2022 that it was a “bad situation” on the property, describing a lot of individuals residing there at completely different occasions, adults seen arguing on the street, junk left piled up within the yard, and the electrical energy being switched off at one level.
“We didn’t intermingle with them as it was a bad situation,” she mentioned.
“There was lots of different people living there, piles of junk in the driveway, junk outside.
“The electricity was turned off and they ran the generator all summer with the wiring running through the window.”
The neighbour mentioned the Montgomerys had been “basically squatting” on the residence when it had fallen into foreclosures and Mr and Ms Montgomery had been refusing to depart.
She mentioned she went away for the Thanksgiving holidays in 2019 and returned to seek out the household had lastly packed up and moved out.
This coincides with when Mr and Ms Montgomery claimed they final noticed the little lady.
An unbiased investigation was launched by the Massachusetts Office of the Child Advocate after Harmony was moved from Massachusetts into the custody of Montgomery in New Hampshire in February 2019.
Officials in New Hampshire and Massachusetts handed the blame between one another.
The New Hampshire governor despatched a letter to Massachusetts courtroom officers slamming a choose for putting Harmony within the care of her “monster” father, given his violent previous and lengthy rap sheet.
Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker responded to the criticism saying he “felt his pain” however mentioned he wished to attend to see the outcomes of the unbiased assessment by the Massachusetts Office of the Child Advocate.
The report, launched in May, discovered positioned the blame on state companies for failing to think about Harmony’s wants above her dad or mum’s rights to her custody.
“The central and most important finding in this investigation and report is that Harmony’s individual needs, well-being, and safety were not prioritized or considered on an equal footing with the assertion of her parents’ rights to care for her in any aspect of the decision making by any state entity,” Maria Mossaides, Director, Office of the Child Advocate, mentioned within the report. “When children are not at the centre of every aspect of the child protection system, then the system cannot truly protect them. This report describes the ripple effect of miscalculations of risk and an unequal weight placed on parents’ rights versus a child’s wellbeing.”
Mr Baker responded to the report a day later by saying “everybody failed in this case,” and pushed a invoice that included $50 million to recruit, prepare and pay guardian advert litems throughout the Massachusetts courtroom system.
“There are a lot of lawyers who are in the room on this case, and none of them at the end of the day had just Harmony Montgomery’s interest as a primary concern,” Mr Baker mentioned.
Where is Harmony?
The lady’s stays have nonetheless not been discovered.
The Gilford Street property was the main focus of a lot of the search with investigators seen within the residence and the yard for a number of days.
However, Manchester Police mentioned the search concluded there. It just isn’t clear if something of curiosity was uncovered and no different areas for searches have been recognized.
The search continues for Harmony Montgomery who has not been seen in two years
The reward for details about Harmony’s disappearance has topped $150,000.
Anyone with data is requested to name or textual content 603-203-606
Source: independent.co.uk