New Hampshire
Harmony Montgomery’s mother files wrongful death lawsuit against N.H. – The Boston Globe
“We are going to hold the State of New Hampshire accountable for Harmony’s senseless and preventable death, shine a light on the systemic failures in her case to prevent future tragedies, give Harmony the voice that she never had, and get Harmony the justice that she so deeply deserves,” said Cyrus F. Rilee, an attorney representing Sorey in the case.
Authorities in both New Hampshire and Massachusetts largely overlooked Harmony’s two-year disappearance, and the case has illuminated gaps in child protective services in both states.
“We will review the complaint and respond as appropriate,” said Michael S. Garrity, a spokesperson for the attorney general’s office.
“I’m Harmony’s voice, and I’m her warrior. Everything I do is for her. I can’t let people forget,” Sorey told reporters in March, after a court appearance that paved the way for civil litigation.
According to the lawsuit, Harmony Montgomery lived with her mother in Massachusetts from the time she was born in 2014 until February 2019, when the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families removed the child from Sorey over allegations of neglect. Sorey has said she was struggling with substance abuse at the time.
State officials in Massachusetts worked with New Hampshire’s Division of Children, Youth, and Families, placing the child in her father’s custody in Manchester, N.H., according to the complaint.
It details how about five months after the placement, multiple people, including Adam’s uncle Kevin Montgomery, started making reports to DCYF, expressing their concern about Harmony’s living conditions and her well-being, after she was seen with a black eye.
“Kevin reported that Adam told him he had ‘bounced her off every f—ing wall in this place,’” the lawsuit said. While speaking with a DCYF staffer, the lawsuit said, Kevin Montgomery grew frustrated when he was questioned on the accuracy of his dates, and said “this is why children die” and that “this child was punched clear in the eye socket with full force.”
Another person who reported issues to DCYF also had concerns that Harmony’s situation could end up being fatal for her.
The reports to DCYF included details about unsafe living conditions, how electricity and hot water in the home had been turned off, the presence of drug paraphernalia, and how Harmony’s father punished her by forcing her to stand in the corner for hours or stay in her bedroom from when she woke up until the late afternoon, according to the lawsuit.
Reports were also made to DCYF about how Harmony wasn’t receiving care from a doctor, and that in the fall, she hadn’t been enrolled in school, according to the lawsuit.
The lawsuit argues that the state was negligent and didn’t meet minimum standards of care for Harmony, even after receiving reports about physical and emotional abuse and neglect by her caretakers.
It also says that the state failed to launch a thorough and competent investigation into reports of suspected abuse, exposing Harmony to “foreseeable harm.” According to the lawsuit, as a direct result of DCYF’s negligence Harmony endured corporal punishment, verbal and mental abuse, and beatings that ultimately caused her death.
Sorey has said she didn’t hear from the girl’s father after 2019, and she grew frantic in 2021. At that point, she turned to the Manchester police and mayor’s office, resulting in an investigation that culminated in Adam Montgomery’s arrest.
New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu slammed the Massachusetts courts for placing Harmony with a “monstrous drug dealer.” But this lawsuit contends that child welfare workers in New Hampshire were ultimately responsible because they didn’t remove her from his custody after receiving reports of his abuse.
Sununu’s office released a seven-page report in February 2022 acknowledging that a New Hampshire child welfare worker repeatedly made contact with Adam Montgomery after his daughter’s disappearance. At least twice, the worker asked specifically about Harmony’s whereabouts, and Adam Montgomery claimed he had returned the girl to her mother. The worker left a voicemail for Sorey in January 2020, but the message went unreturned, and there is no evidence that any additional attempts were made to contact her, according to the report.
The Massachusetts Office of the Child Advocate released a 100-page report in May 2022, acknowledging that the state’s child welfare system overlooked Harmony’s needs at every turn.
Material from prior Globe reports was used in this article.
Amanda Gokee can be reached at amanda.gokee@globe.com. Follow her @amanda_gokee.
New Hampshire
Longtime Blue Jays organization member Tamargo tasked with leading New Hampshire Fisher Cats
Are you ready for your mornings reimagined?
Hi! I’m Garret Doll (like Ken, but less hair and not as handsome), and I’m teaming up with Katie Killourhy for 97.5 WOKQ’s new morning show, Garret & Katie in the Morning!
You ready to join us?
So, Who Is Garret Doll?
I’ve learned something about myself… I don’t like clutter. Unless it’s my clutter. Then it’s not clutter, it’s a system.
That’s probably a pretty accurate starting point for who I am. A little self-aware, a little stubborn, and definitely someone who knows what he likes. I like tacos, steak tips and lobster rolls. (Fun fact: I’ve never had a lobster roll until moving here.)
How It All Started
This whole radio thing started for me when I was 15. My mom helped me land a job at a radio station in my hometown (cause she worked there), and I fell in love with radio. I’ve never left this career.
I’ve spent my entire adult life doing this job, and I still feel like I lucked into the best job in the world. No two days are the same. One minute you’re talking about life, the next you’re playing your favorite songs, then suddenly you’re out in the community meeting people who feel like friends you’ve known forever.
Most of my career took me to places like Denver, Charleston, and Richmond. Now, somehow, it’s brought me here to New Hampshire.
Honestly, I look at it like a “this is exactly where I’m supposed to be” moment. It’s a new start on life, so to speak. You will learn more about that as we get to know each other and you listen to the show on 97.5 WOKQ.
Why WOKQ Matters to Me
WOKQ is one of those stations you hear about in radio. It’s got history. It’s got heart. And it’s built around a community that actually cares about local connection and country music throughout New England.
That matters to me.
I don’t want to just “be on the radio.” I want to be part of what’s happening here. The towns, the events, the random conversations at a bar, the places you tell your friends they have to check out.
That’s the fun part of all of this.
What I’m All About
I’m a pretty simple dude:
I’m the guy who would give you the shirt off my back
Glass half full (even when it probably shouldn’t be)
Always smiling
Authentic… sometimes too authentic
And yeah, there are definitely moments where I say something before thinking it all the way through.
So if you ever hear me and think, “Did he really just say that?” There’s a decent chance the answer is yes.
Some Quick Hits About Me
Coffee order: Americano
Drink Order: Old Fashioned or just a good local beer
Favorite food: Tacos (not even close)
Guilty pleasure show: The Big Bang Theory
Pet peeve: Close talkers… and people who are late
Random fact: I once got a tattoo of Dopey from the Seven Dwarfs because a girl I was dating wanted one. We got them together. (Don’t worry, it’s been covered up by a microphone and a rose… and I haven’t heard from her in about 20 years)
Let’s Do This Together
I’m new to town, which means I could really use your help.
Where’s your go-to spot when you just want to get outside? Best place to hike? Kayak? Local bar? Just disappear for a few hours?
READ MORE: Hidden Gems in New Hampshire: 5 Secret Places Worth Discovering
Drop me your favorites, because if there’s one thing I know, it’s that the best recommendations don’t come from Google… they come from you! The ones who actually live it.
And I’m ready to start exploring and getting to know you. So make sure to tune in to Garret & Katie in the Morning! See you there.
BankNH Pavilion: Summer Show Lineup, 2026
Gallery Credit: Sarah Sullivan
HUDSON, N.H. — An animal cruelty investigation led to the arrest of two former tenants who police say left three cats behind in the apartment they were evicted from.
The Hudson Police Department said officers responded to 19 Oliver Drive on Nov. 25 after the town’s animal control officer received a report that multiple cats had been left behind in an apartment previously occupied by Faith Byers, 48, and Kevin Greene, 57.
The pair had reportedly been evicted a week earlier, on Nov. 18.
Police said that attempts to reach Byers and Greene by phone were unsuccessful, and the property owner later confirmed that the two had moved out without taking the cats or arranging for their care.
With the owner’s permission, police entered the apartment and found three cats alone inside the unoccupied residence.
Police said they determined the cats had been left unattended for several days in conditions lacking adequate airflow, sunlight, litter and consistent access to food or water. Police added that no care plan had been made for the animals, and neither former tenant indicated any intention to return for them.
The animals were safely removed and transported to the Animal Rescue League of New Hampshire in Bedford, where they are now receiving care.
Arrest warrants were issued for Byers and Greene, who are each charged with one count of cruelty to animals, a Class A misdemeanor. They were arrested on Friday and released on personal recognizance bail.
They are scheduled to appear in 9th Circuit Court Nashua District Division at 1 p.m. April 28.
Follow Aaron Curtis on X @aselahcurtis, or on Bluesky @aaronscurtis.bsky.social.
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