5-Year-Old Daughter Beaten to Death by Father as Mom Claims Authorities Ignored Abuse Reports
( Image: AP/the Mirror US)
Crystal Sorey, the grieving mother of 5-year-old Harmony Montgomery, is taking legal action against New Hampshire authorities, accusing them of ignoring repeated warnings about the abuse that ultimately led to her daughter’s murder. “My daughter was failed,” Sorey said, as she filed a lawsuit against the Division of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF).
Harmony was killed by her father, Adam Montgomery, in 2022, but the lawsuit highlights a troubling timeline of alleged neglect by child protection services. Filed initially in September, the suit was revised earlier this month to include more allegations about the DCYF’s failures. According to Sorey, there were 17 reports made to the agency before Harmony was reported missing on New Year’s Eve in 2021, reported WMUR.
One alarming report detailed that Harmony was allegedly molested by individuals staying at the Montgomery home, where drug use was rampant. Another account singled out social worker Demetrios Tsaros, who is accused of ignoring a report about Harmony having a black eye.
Harmony’s tragic story began in June 2014, when she was born while her father was in prison. She entered foster care at two months old, but five years later, a judge awarded Adam full custody despite his troubled past. At the time, Adam lived with his wife, Kayla, and their two sons. Family members soon noticed signs of abuse.
During a visit from Florida, Harmony’s uncle, Kevin Montgomery, observed a black eye. When questioned, Adam admitted he had “bashed her around,” prompting Kevin to report the incident to child protective agencies. Despite such warnings, Adam’s violent behavior persisted.
Court records show Adam was defiant when questioned about Harmony’s injuries. By late 2019, the family was evicted from their home and began living in a homeless shelter, where the abuse allegedly continued. Sorey recalled the last time she saw Harmony alive during a FaceTime call, saying her daughter looked “frightened.”
Authorities never recovered Harmony’s body, but in June 2022, they tore apart the apartment where she last lived in hopes of finding evidence. Adam Montgomery was arrested for her murder in October 2022 and later convicted on unrelated firearms charges. During his August 2023 trial, Adam denied killing Harmony and expressed regret over his addiction. However, it was revealed that he had told a friend he “hated” his daughter shortly before her death.
To this day, Adam has not disclosed the location of Harmony’s remains. Crystal Sorey’s lawsuit seeks accountability for the system she says failed to protect her daughter when she needed it most.
