A negligence lawsuit filed on Friday against New Hampshire’s Division for Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) alleges that social workers failed to act on repeated warnings about the safety of 5-year-old Harmony Montgomery before she was killed by her father. The girl’s mother, Crystal Sorey, claims the agency ignored multiple reports of abuse, neglect, and dangerous conditions, ultimately leading to Harmony’s tragic death.
Mother Files Lawsuit After Child’s Murder
Crystal Sorey’s lawsuit contends that New Hampshire social workers were alerted to numerous warning signs about Harmony’s welfare after her father, Adam Montgomery, was awarded custody in February 2019. Despite these reports, the lawsuit says, the state failed to protect the child, allowing the abuse to escalate until Harmony was murdered.
Adam Montgomery was convicted of killing his daughter and sentenced to a minimum of 56 years in prison in May 2023. Authorities believe Harmony was killed nearly two years before she was reported missing in 2021, with her body never recovered.
Warning Signs of Abuse Ignored
The lawsuit outlines multiple instances of concern raised by family members and neighbors about Harmony’s safety. One alarming report came from Adam Montgomery’s uncle, Kevin Montgomery, who contacted DCYF after noticing Harmony had a severe black eye. According to Kevin, Adam admitted to hitting his daughter and said he had “bounced her off every wall in the house.”
Kevin Montgomery also reported that Harmony was subjected to extreme punishments, such as being forced to scrub a bathroom with a toothbrush and stand in a corner for hours. He expressed frustration when DCYF failed to act, warning them, “This is why children die,” according to the lawsuit. Despite his persistent calls, the agency did not intervene.
Social Workers Allegedly Dismissed Reports
The lawsuit also claims that neighbors and others expressed concerns about Harmony’s household, but the agency did not respond appropriately. Kevin Montgomery had even found drug paraphernalia in the home and reported that the electricity had been shut off. Despite multiple red flags, DCYF allegedly failed to investigate or remove the child from her father’s care.
As a result, the lawsuit argues, Harmony suffered prolonged abuse and neglect, including severe physical and emotional harm, culminating in her death.
Seeking Accountability and Justice
The lawsuit, which seeks a jury trial and unspecified monetary damages, is intended to hold the state accountable for its negligence. It claims that had DCYF acted on the warnings, Harmony’s death could have been prevented.
Michael Garrity, spokesperson for New Hampshire’s Attorney General, said the office would review the lawsuit and “respond as appropriate.”
Father’s History of Violence and Conviction
Adam Montgomery, who has a long criminal record dating back to 2008, did not attend his February trial. During sentencing, Judge Amy Messer criticized his actions, stating, “Your extreme indifference to the value of human life is seen in so many of your actions.”
At the trial, Harmony’s stepmother, Kayla Montgomery, testified about the horrific conditions in which the family lived and the abuse Harmony endured. She recalled an incident in December 2019, just before Harmony’s death, when Adam repeatedly punched the child during a car ride because she was having bathroom accidents. Kayla also described how Adam hid the child’s body after her death, moving it between various locations, including a cooler and a homeless shelter.
