CONCORD, N.H. — The state of New Hampshire has consented to a $2.25 million settlement with Crystal Sorey, the mother of Harmony Montgomery, a young girl tragically killed by her father. Sorey had initially filed a lawsuit in May, asserting that state social workers neglected crucial signs that her daughter was being abused after custody was awarded to her ex-husband in 2019.
Adam Montgomery, the father of Harmony Montgomery, has been sentenced to a minimum of 56 years in prison for the murder of his 5-year-old daughter. He was found guilty of not only killing her but also moving her remains for several months before disposing of them. Authorities suspect that Harmony was murdered nearly two years before she was reported missing in 2021, and sadly, her body is still missing.
Although New Hampshire reached a settlement in this case, the state did not concede any fault or wrongdoing. Attorney General John Formella explained, “The state agreed to these settlements to steer clear of extended litigation and to help bring closure for the families involved. We acknowledge their deep loss and hope this settlement offers them some sense of peace.”
Earlier this year, New Hampshire settled a separate case involving a Laconia boy by agreeing to pay $5.75 million to his mother. This settlement came after the state placed the boy with a grandmother who is now facing charges for his 2019 death. In another case finalized in December, the state reached a settlement with the father of a 5-year-old Merrimack boy who was killed by his mother in 2021.
In response to these tragic events, New Hampshire established the Office of the Child Advocate in 2018 as an independent agency to monitor such cases. However, there is currently a discussion among lawmakers about the potential removal of this office in the upcoming state budget.