The ex-stepmother of missing New Hampshire girl, Harmony Montgomery, told police that the child’s father killed her, then told her to lie to investigators, New Hampshire prosecutors said.
During an interview in June, 32-year-old Kayla Montgomery reportedly told detectives with the Manchester Police Department that Harmony’s father, Adam Montgomery, killed the child in December 2019, court documents filed in the Hillsborough County Superior Court on Monday state,
The Union Leader reports that Kayla Montgomery initially lied to police about guns Adams is accused of stealing in a separate case, and even told her father-in-law she still loved her ex-husband, although the pair had broken up.
However, when she was charged with perjury in her grand jury testimony, Kayla Montgomery changed her story and admitted to Manchester investigators that she was lying. During the same police interview, she came clean in regards to Harmony, who hasn’t been seen since 2019,
“Kayla reported to police that Harmony had been murdered in December 2019 by the defendant (Adam Montgomery),” prosecutor Jesse O’Neill wrote in court documents.
“Kayla also said that the defendant had encouraged her on multiple occasions to lie to police about Harmony’s whereabouts, basically giving Kayla a ‘cover story’ and telling her that as long as she stuck to the cover story everything would be OK.”
The court documents were filed the same day prosecutors charged Adam Montgomery with second-degree murder and related charges.
As CrimeOnline previously reported, Montgomery, 32, was arrested Monday and charged with murder, falsifying physical evidence, witness tampering, and abuse of a corpse. The charges are in connection with the disappearance and presumed death of Harmony, 5.
Police said that “on or about Dec. 7, 2019,” Montgomery repeatedly struck Harmony “in the head with a closed fist.”
He pleaded not guilty to all of the charges and waived his arraignment Tuesday, Associated Press reports.
Montgomery has been behind bars in Manchester since January, on weapons and theft charges. He also pleaded not guilty to those charges.
Meanwhile, the search for Harmony continues.
Court documents released earlier this year indicate that police received a call from Harmony’s biological mother, Crystal Sorey, on November 18, 2021, who claimed the child was missing. Sorey told police that Harmony’s father had physical custody of the girl and she couldn’t get in touch with him.
Sorey added that she lost custody of Harmony in 2018 due to drug issues. Adam, according to Sorey, blocked her calls and blocked her from social media, and didn’t allow her to speak to Harmony after Easter 2019.
New Hampshire police reached out to the New Hampshire Department of Children’s Services to locate Adam, but by December 27, 2021, the agency couldn’t find him. Police began searching for Montgomery when they learned that Harmony “had not been physically seen since October/November 2019.”
Police also spoke to Adam Montgomery’s brother, Michael, who explained that Montgomery abused Harmony and gave her a black eye. Police then reached out to Montgomery’s cousin, Kevin, who witnessed the alleged incident.
“I bashed her around this house,” Montgomery said, according to Kevin.
Kevin told investigators that Montgomery was upset at Harmony when her infant brother started crying because he told her to keep an eye on him. In anger, Montgomery allegedly spanked Harmony, made her scrub a toilet with a toothbrush, and forced her to stand in the corner for hours.
On December 31, 2021, police located Adam Montgomery sleeping in a car in New Hampshire with his current girlfriend. The girlfriend told police that Montgomery never once talked about Harmony.
When investigators interviewed Kayla Montgomery, she said that she hadn’t spoken to Adam since November 2021 and hadn’t seen Harmony since late 2019.
Montgomery reportedly told police that Harmony’s mother came to “pick her up in Manchester, NH around Thanksgiving 2019.” Montgomery claimed he hadn’t seen his daughter since.
Police said Adam Montgomery’s statements were inconsistent and secretive, with the suspect telling them things such as, “I have nothing to say” and, “If I’m not under arrest, I’m leaving.”
“Somewhere out there this little girl is in need of help, and that’s our job, and I need your help on helping us to find her safe so the next time we meet, maybe we meet with some good news,” Aldenberg previously said.
One of the Last Known Sightings
One of the last known sightings of Harmony happened in October 2019 at a home off Gilford Street in Manchester, New Hampshire, after a family spat broke out. The girl’s uncle, Kevin Montgomery, said Adam Montgomery then left with Harmony and broke off contact with several family members.
Kevin Montgomery said Harmony “looked like a scared puppy” the last time he saw her.
Harmony is described as standing around 4 feet tall and weighing 50 pounds. She has blond hair and blue eyes. She is blind in her right eye and should be wearing glasses. The most recent photographs available were taken when she was 5 years old.
A $94,00 reward for information on Harmony’s whereabouts is being offered. Anyone with information is asked to contact the police tipline at 603-203-6060.
For the latest true crime and justice news, subscribe to the ‘Crime Stories with Nancy Grace’ podcast.
[Feature Photo: Police Handout/Handout]
