A judge has determined that Harmony Montgomery, a 5-year-old girl from New Hampshire who has been missing since 2019, is lawfully dead.
The ruling grants her mom, Crystal Sorey, to serve as the administrator of Harmony's estate. This decision comes shortly after Harmony's father was convicted of killing her.
5-Year-Old Missing New Hampshire Girl Declared Legally Dead
Crystal Sorey successfully demonstrated to the probate judge that Harmony Montgomery likely met a tragic fate, given the absence of her body.
The judge's order, released a day after Sorey's court presence, referenced trial testimony from Adam Montgomery's estranged wife, Kayla Montgomery, who professed to handling Harmony's lifeless body.
Sorey's attorney is still prescribed to give the jury's verdict and a probate surety bond to ensure Sorey fulfills her responsibilities as the administrator.
Adam Montgomery and Sorey were not in a relationship at the time of Harmony's birth in 2014. The child lived with foster families and her mother until Sorey lost custody in 2018.
Montgomery gained custody in early 2019, and Sorey last saw Harmony during a FaceTime call around Easter of that year. When questioned about Harmony's location later on, Adam and Kayla Montgomery falsely claimed he had taken the child to live with Sorey.
Currently in prison awaiting sentencing, Adam Montgomery chose not to attend the probate hearing via Webex.
Sorey is initiating the initial steps for a planned wrongful death lawsuit against the state regarding Harmony Montgomery, citing Adam Montgomery's second-degree murder conviction and admission of guilt to related charges as grounds for the legal declaration of death.
Read Also: Parole Granted to Kayla Montgomery in Controversial Child Murder Case: Unraveling the Mystery
Who Is Harmony Montgomery
Born in June 2014, Harmony's father was incarcerated at the time of her birth, released in 2015.
In her early years, Harmony was taken from her mother's care at least three times. In July 2018, the Department of Child Services removed her due to her mother's drug addiction, placing her in foster care.
Subsequently, in February 2019, custody was granted to her father, Montgomery, before a review of his home was completed by the New Hampshire Division of Children, Youth and Families.
Harmony, who had initially lived in Massachusetts with her mother, was relocated to New Hampshire to live with her father.
Prosecutors argued that Harmony thrived in her early years but began experiencing issues when placed in an allegedly abusive environment with her father.
Harmony's foster mother, Michelle Raftery, attested that Harmony achieved age-appropriate milestones and was potty-trained by the age of two and a half.
Raftery described Harmony as a lively child who adapted well to their household, calling her "momma" and recognizing her husband as "dadda."
Sorey, Harmony's mother, characterized her daughter as a spirited child who openly shared her life story with anyone she encountered.
The final confirmed sighting of Harmony occurred on September 11, 2019, at her father's residence on 77 Gilford Street in Manchester. She lived there with her father, his wife Kayla Montgomery, and their children. Initial confusion regarding the last police callout in October 2019 was later clarified to be in September.
Interviews and statements from family members revealed a timeline of Harmony's last known sighting.
Sorey informed the police that she lost contact with her daughter after an April 2019 video call, with Montgomery subsequently severing all communication between mother and daughter.
