The mother of missing 7-year-old Harmony Montgomery made her first public comments at a vigil Saturday night, saying she “never stopped” looking for answers about her daughter’s disappearance.
The woman, Crystal Sorey, told NBC Boston at the vigil in Manchester, New Hampshire, that she has been “begging for any type of answer” since she last spoke to her daughter nearly three years ago. Harmony’s father, Adam Montgomery, who had legal custody at the time of her disappearance, blocked all contact between Sorey and Harmony after a video call in April 2019, Sorey said.
“I don’t feel like she’s gone. I just don’t feel that in my heart,” Sorey said. “Like, I don’t feel like I lost her. And a mother knows, a mother knows if your baby’s here or not. I know she’s here.”
Police began searching for Harmony after they learned of her disappearance in December. Manchester police said that the case is “very concerning” and that it is “being thoroughly investigated.”
Police are searching for Harmony under the assumption that she is alive.
Harmony’s father and stepmother, Kayla Montgomery, have been arrested but have not been charged with her disappearance.
Adam Montgomery has been charged with felony second-degree assault, interference with custody and two misdemeanor counts of endangering the welfare of a child. According to an affidavit, the assault charge is from an incident in July 2019 when he is alleged to have admitted to a concerned uncle that he gave Harmony a black eye after she failed to keep her little brother from crying.
His wife was charged with welfare fraud, accused of collecting more than $1,500 in food stamp benefits for Harmony, even though the girl was no longer living at their home.
Both pleaded not guilty.
Kayla Montgomery told police that her husband told her in late 2019 that Harmony was returning to live with her mother. Adam Montgomery alleged to police that Sorey had come to pick up Harmony to live with her.
But Sorey said Saturday that she had been trying to track down her daughter since April 2019, making concerned calls to nearby schools and the New Hampshire Division of Children, Youth and Families.
Harmony was “failed by everybody,” Sorey said.
She addressed her daughter directly while talking to NBC Boston, saying she wanted Harmony to know how much she is loved.
“If you can see me and hear me, I want you to know that I never stopped looking for you and I won’t stop fighting until I find you, OK? You stay strong, and Mommy’s right here fighting for you. I love you.”