MANCHESTER, N.H. — The stepmother of a missing New Hampshire girl, Harmony Montgomery, was arrested on Wednesday and charged with welfare fraud.
Kayla Montgomery was arraigned on Thursday at the Hillsborough County Superior Court in Manchester, New Hampshire. Bail was later set at $5000.
Her husband, 31-year-old Adam Montgomery, was arrested on Dec. 31, 2021, and charged with one count of felony second-degree assault and two misdemeanor counts of endangering the welfare of a child. He remains in jail with no bail allowed.
Harmony Montgomery, now 7 years old, has not been seen since 2019, police said.
Her father was given full custody in February of 2019, according to juvenile court documents.
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Kayla Montgomery told police that on the day after Thanksgiving 2019, Adam dropped her off at work and said he was going to bring Harmony to her mother, Crystal Sorey, to live with her and she has not seen the little girl since that day.
They allegedly continued to receive benefits in the child's name until June 2021, although Kayle told police she tried unsuccessfully to discontinue the benefits. The benefits totaled around $1,500.
Kayla moved back with her mother in June 2021. Harmony was removed from the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services account at that time.
Adam Montgomery made contradictory statements about when he had last seen his daughter, police said in an affidavit, at one point saying she was "fine" and he had seen her "somewhat recently," and later saying the child's mother picked her up in Manchester around Thanksgiving 2019.
Police said his responses "raised our suspicion and concern for [the child's] well-being."
Manchester police said they spoke with Harmony Montgomery's mother, Crystal Sorey, on several occasions and she said she had not seen Harmony in over two years, and that she had been trying to locate her to obtain visitation.
Court documents show that Kayla and Adam Montgomery have three children together. Police said in December that those children were accounted for.
A reward of $60,000 has been offered for any information about Harmony Montgomery.
Manchester Police tip line: 603-203-6060