Photos of a blonde haired, blue eyed former foster child named Harmony Montgomery flooded the internet during a time when the world had a few extra moments to engage in her story. People across the globe were experiencing the first modern day shut down after the spread of COVID-19 while the mother of Harmony was experiencing a different type of shut down, a communication breakdown between herself and Harmony.

From missing posters to a criminal trial and then back to ground searches. This is not usually the way a criminal investigation is conducted, unless the person on trial is convicted of murder without using the body as evidence. This is commonly referred to as a “no body” case. And that is exactly what prosecutors did in the trial against Adam Montgomery, the father of Harmony Montgomery.

Around the holidays in 2019 the mother of Harmony Montgomery, Crystal Sorey, lost contact with Harmony and began reaching out to anyone who might be able to check on her and ensure she was safe. Crystal and Harmony’s father, Adam Montgomery, were no longer together and at the time Harmony was living with Adam after he regained custody of Harmony from the state foster care system.

Adam and Crystal lost custody of Harmony in previous years due to a history of struggling with addiction. Crystal arranged for her son to be adopted and while that process was unfolding, the court that was handling Harmony’s case granted Adam custody. Crystal no longer had custodial rights to Harmony but she was allowed to have visits and phone calls with harmony after she moved in with Adam. Until the holidays in 2019 when all communication ceased and Adam began blocking Crystal’s calls and messages on social media. Adam’s wife, Kayla Montgomery, also began avoiding any contact with Crystal.

The following two years were met with complete silence from Adam, Kayla, law enforcement, DCYF, and local officials concerning the whereabouts of Harmony. Adam and Kayla continued collecting financial assistance for Harmony, they continued living as Harmony was very much a part of their lives, and she was, in the worst way possible.

By late 2021 the name Harmony Montgomery began to finally get the attention she deserved. After letters to government officials and assistance from the family who adopted Crystal’s son, it seemed that officials were finally ready to investigate the disappearance of Harmony.

In late 2021 law enforcement began searching for the most basic information they could find out about Harmony’s current whereabouts and living conditions. By December of 2021 they located Adam in a parking lot and they stopped him to ask where Harmony is, Adam refused to assist or provide any information to law enforcement. Adam and Kayla had moved out of their home and appeared to be living in a vehicle with their children.

The following month law enforcement obtained a search warrant for the last known residence where Harmony lived with Adam. The family was evicted from the residence without a plan in place to go to a new residence due to a lack in income and a spiraling drug addiction. 

By the time police searched the former residence of Adam they also had collected enough information for charges after discovering welfare fraud and child neglect. Adam and Kayla claimed that they dropped Harmony off with Crystal Sorey and had not seen her since. The inconsistent statements and the initial delay in searching for Harmony became an international headline over the next year as searches were conducted at houses, apartments, shelters and wooded areas. Every search only increased the media attention as the world waited in hopes that perhaps Harmony was hidden somewhere alive despite the overwhelming evidence that appeared to be painting a very different picture.

By October of 2023 it became clear that the hopes of Harmony possibly being alive could no longer be a likely outcome and by January of 2023 a grand jury indicted Adam for causing the death of Harmony by fatally striking her in the head, an admission made by Kayla who was also incarcerated for fraud. 

Adam refused to attend his trial and remained in his jail cell for the duration while his wife was called to the stand to testify about what she knew in 2019 when Harmony seemingly vanished from everyone who knew her. The public expected to hear about the horrific fatal injury that Harmony sustained before her death, they did not expect the details that would follow. Kayla detailed their movements after Harmony’s death to explain to the jury what happened to her body. She described a number of places where Adam would store Harmony’s body in the following months. The home of Kayla’s mother, a restaurant cooler, and the ceiling of a shelter were among the locations before Adam allegedly put Harmony in a UHaul truck and drove her to an unknown location to dispose of her remains that had been manipulated to fit into a tote bag.

The detailed account by Kayla was shocking and disturbing, the public was just as upset by her allowing it to take place as they were with Adam for delivering a fatal blow to Harmony and then toting her body through town. The entire case always hinged on one question, why was Adam Montgomery given custody of Harmony?

Adam had a long criminal history including violent offenses. What did the court require him to do to prove he was now a stable parent for Harmony? Why did contact with Harmony cease after being placed with Adam? No checks or home visits? Even after Adam’s family called to report that Harmony was being physically abused, the state allegedly failed to conduct proper welfare checks.

Typical tactics were used by Adam to hinder authorities from checking on Harmony during the time frames that her injuries were allegedly visually apparent to anyone who came in contact with her. A family member reported the abuse but alleges it was not properly investigated.

The lawsuit filed by Crystal on behalf of Harmony’s estate details the investigation, the custody arrangement and the failures by the state of New Hampshire to properly investigate abuse allegations. Harmony is still missing and despite a guilty verdict during the murder trial against Adam, the search continues as Adam did not reveal where Harmony is located. Adam was sentenced to a minimum of 56-years in prison for the murder of Harmony.

As the search continues we will monitor the court process for the lawsuit as well and add any updates to our timeline below.