By Adam Montgomery, a New Hampshire man, was sentenced to 45 years to life in prison on Thursday for the murder of his 5-year-old daughter, Harmony Montgomery.
The case, which has drawn attention to the shortcomings of the child protective services system and strained relations between Massachusetts and New Hampshire, concluded with Montgomery being found guilty of second-degree murder, assault, witness tampering, falsifying evidence, and abuse of a corpse in February.
Harmony, who had been in and out of foster care throughout her short life, was placed in Montgomery’s custody by a Massachusetts judge in 2019. Her mother, Crystal Sorey, last spoke to her in the spring of 2019 via FaceTime, but was unable to reach her afterward.
According to prosecutors, Montgomery brutally beat Harmony to death on December 7, 2019, and spent the following three months transporting and concealing her body before disposing of it on March 4, 2020. He then lied about her whereabouts for over two years.
The Massachusetts Office of the Child Advocate released a 101-page report in 2022, revealing that state officials had prioritized Harmony’s parents’ rights over her well-being, ultimately failing her.
Harmony’s remains have not been found, but a judge declared her legally dead in March at the request of her mother.
During the sentencing hearing, several emotional victim impact statements were delivered. Crystal Sorey expressed her love for her daughter and hatred for the “monster” and “coward” who killed her.
The adoptive parents of Harmony’s younger brother read a heartfelt statement from the 7-year-old boy, who expressed his love and longing for his sister.
Prosecutors had requested a sentence of 56 years to life in prison for Montgomery’s crimes, offering to lower their recommendation if he revealed the location of Harmony’s body.
Montgomery remained silent during the proceeding, prompting the prosecutor to call him “heartless, immoral, selfish, and unapologetic.” The defense argued for a lesser sentence and maintained Montgomery’s innocence on the murder charge.
The case has shed light on Harmony’s troubled life, which involved cycling between her mother’s care and foster care before being placed in Montgomery’s custody.
The judge’s decision to award Montgomery full custody has been heavily scrutinized, with New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu criticizing the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court’s chief justice.
Prosecutors detailed the brutal beatings Harmony endured at the hands of her father, including an attack on December 7, 2019, that ultimately led to her death.
They argued that Montgomery’s failure to seek help for Harmony and his subsequent lies and attempts to blame others warranted a severe sentence.
As the case concludes, the tragic story of Harmony Montgomery serves as a stark reminder of the importance of prioritizing the well-being of children in the child protective services system and the devastating consequences of failing to do so.
