“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.
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Harmony Montgomery’s mother, Crystal Sorey, arrived at court for a probate case hearing at Nashua Circuit Court on March 11, 2024. DAVID LANE/UNION LEADER
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.”
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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.
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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.
A man walks past the “missing child” poster for Harmony Montgomery, Thursday, May 5, 2022, in Manchester, N.H. The five-year-old girl went missing in 2019.Charles Krupa/Associated Press
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.
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Amanda Gokee can be reached at amanda.gokee@globe.com. Follow her @amanda_gokee.
Sunflowers are my absolute FAVORITE flowers. I truly feel like they have magical uplifting abilities. Hence, why I’ve always kept fresh sunflowers in my house, brightening up my kitchen table or even my TV stand.
Obviously, it was a dream of mine to have my maternity photos taken in a sunflower field. They reflect sunshine and exude happiness.
Not to mention, one of my favorite quotes is about sunflowers! “Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see the shadow. It’s what sunflowers do.” Helen Keller
A beautiful reminder to keep an optimistic outlook on life and not dwell on the negative.
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So, you can imagine the joy I felt when I learned that New Hampshire had its very own Sunflower Festival at Coppal House Farm in Lee!
Coppal House Farm via FacebookCoppal House Farm via Facebook
About the Sunflower Festival:
During the summer, the farm transforms into a sea of golden blooms, giving visitors the chance to wander through thousands of sunflowers, snap photos, enjoy local food vendors, artisan crafts, listen to live music, and experience one of New Hampshire’s most beautiful summer traditions.
Other unique activities on the itinerary? Sip-n-snip! Guests can enjoy a cocktail or mocktail of their choice and cut their own fresh bouquet of flowers.
Coppal House Farm via FacebookCoppal House Farm via Facebook
Or maybe you’re a yoga fan? You can join a 60-minute sweat session from Lee, New Hampshire yoga instructors right in the heart of the flower field.
And because the farm grows oilseed sunflowers for culinary oil (which they harvest in the fall months), the flowers only stay at their peak for a brief window, making the festival a limited-time experience, according to the festival organizers…
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What makes this event even more special is the reason behind it. The festival started as a way to share the beauty of the sunflower fields, but it has grown into something much bigger. Organizers say the event has raised more than $90,000 for Make-A-Wish New Hampshire over the years and now shares a portion of its proceeds with several local nonprofit organizations serving the Seacoast community.
Anyone who knows me knows that paying it forward is something that’s incredibly important to me. It’s right up there with my love of sunflowers because both fill my cup in the best way. So, when I found out this festival celebrates my favorite flower and gives back to the community, I knew I had to share it.
Sunflower Festival Details:
This festival only runs from Saturday, July 25th until Sunday, August 2nd. You can get the full list of activities and more on the Coppal Farm website.
Daily Field Hours
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10:00 AM – 6:30 PM (last admission at 6PM because fields close at 6:30) Weekend Tickets (prepurchased online – day before) $12 per person ages 13 & older $10 per person ages 5-12 $10 per person Seniors (65+) & Military 4 yrs & under are always free Weekend Tickets (purchased day of – online or at farm): $16 per person ages 13 & older $14 per person ages 5-12 $14 per person Seniors (65+) & Military 4 yrs & under are always free includes: access to sunflower fields, craft fair, food vending area, tented shade area, picnic area, farm animals, & live music
Weekday Tickets (prepurchased online – day before) $8 per person ages 13 & older $6 per person ages 5-12 $6 per person Seniors (65+) & Military 4 yrs & under are always free
Weekday Tickets (purchased day of – online or at farm) $12 per person ages 13 & older $10 per person ages 5-12 $10 per person Seniors (65+) & Military 4 yrs & under are always free
What tickets include: Access to sunflower fields, food vending area, tented shade area, picnic area, and farm animals
READ MORE: A Classic Fairy Tale Comes To Life At Portsmouth’s Prescott Park This Summer
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This festival might just leave you smiling long after you leave the fields!
What Flowers Thrive in New England
See what flowers thrive in New England weather: Maine, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire.
Gallery Credit: Logan
14 of the Best New Hampshire Farms Offering Locally Grown Strawberries
14 of the Best New Hampshire Farms Offering PYO Strawberries
Ed. Note: If this was you and you are interested, please email [email protected] so I can put you in touch with OP.
“Dear PoPville,
I was biking home from a doctor appointment a little before noon on Friday, and stopped at a red light on New Hampshire & L st nw. There was a woman across the street who was looking fine in her dark blue (I think they were) scrubs. I might be crazy, but it felt like we kept checking each other out. By the third time,
if we were in a romcom, one of us would have waved. Sorry I didn’t, but if you are reading this and date men, reach out to the Prince if you are interested in that man on the bike. Have a great weekend!”
Ed. Note: If this is you, please email [email protected] so I can put you in touch with OP. PoPville is not affiliated with either party, please proceed with any potential connection at your own risk using caution as you would any online encounter. For those curious about past missed connections, many have been made and when possible I’ll try to update when/if more are made.
A New Hampshire motorcyclist who had been missing since the Fourth of July was found dead in Shelburne late Thursday night.
State police say they received a request from the Berlin Police Department just after 7:30 p.m. Thursday for help locating 41-year-old Wesley Grondin — the Berlin man was last seen riding his motorcycle on Saturday, July 4, and had been reported missing.
Troopers received a call a couple of hours later, around 10:10 p.m. Thursday, from a concerned resident who had been out looking for Grondin along Route 2 in Shelburne. The person told police they had found Grondin dead, along with his Harley Davidson.
According to state police, a preliminary investigation determined that Grondin was riding his Harley on Route 2 westbound in Shelburne when, for reasons that remain under investigation, he crossed over into the opposing lane, struck a post, and came to a final rest in the wood line.
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The crash is believed to have occurred just before midnight on July 4. At this time, police say there’s no indication that another vehicle or person was involved.
All aspects of the crash remain under investigation, however. Anyone with information that may assist investigators is asked to contact Trooper Hunter Newsham at Hunter.P.Newsham@dos.nh.gov.
