NH HARMONY MONTGOMERY: Missing from Manchester, NH - Nov/Dec 2019 (Reported December 2021) - Age 5 *GUILTY*

Girl last seen in Manchester in October 2019; police seek tips from public

Manchester police said they are "begging" for tips from the public about the disappearance of a girl not seen in more than two years.

www.wmur.com

Girl last seen in Manchester in October 2019; police seek tips from public​

Manchester police are seeking tips from the public about the disappearance of a girl not seen in more than two years.

Harmony Montgomery, 7, was last seen in a home in Manchester in October 2019, when she was 5, police said.

Police said they first learned Harmony went missing earlier this week. Chief Allen Aldenberg did not specify who reported the girl missing but said his department has been in touch with multiple family members and will continue to speak with them.

Aldenberg said police are not searching for any adult or vehicle in connection with the case. Investigators are focusing on the whereabouts of Harmony.

"No time is a good time for a child to go missing," Aldenberg said. "I'm begging the community. I don't care if you saw this young girl a year ago and you think it's irrelevant. Call us."

Aldenberg said at a news conference Friday his detectives are working to confirm where Harmony is from and where she went to school before her disappearance.

Harmony is estimated to be approximately 4 feet tall and 50 pounds. Investigators said she has blonde hair, blue eyes and should be wearing glasses.

"We need help," Aldenberg said. "This remains a very active investigation."


MEDIA - HARMONY MONTGOMERY: Missing from Manchester, NH since October 2019 (Reported December 2021) - Age 5

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

Jumping in here late, but why doesn't every state have a Caylee's law?

Not sure. But I did find this interesting...

In South Dakota, two people were charged with failure to report the death of two-year-old Rielee Lovell under the new law.[31] The defense attorney for Laurie Cournoyer claimed that the law violated his client's right against self-incrimination, saying "essentially what the state has done is criminalized a citizen's right to remain silent."[32]

Critics and opponents of Caylee's Law state various reasons for their opposition. Some critics say the law is unconstitutional in that it violates the 5th Amendment. Critics also claim the law will mostly harm innocent parents. The laws as proposed do not distinguish the cause or place of death, therefore even parents whose children die in the hospital due to sudden illnesses are still required to report the death to the local police within the law's time frame or face felony charges in addition to the sudden tragic loss of their child.[33] One critic noted the law could lead to overcompliance and false reports by parents wary of becoming suspects, wasting police resources and leading to legitimate abductions going uninvestigated during the critical first few hours. Additionally innocent people could get snared in the law, for example, if the parents first begin searching for a child instead of immediately calling police, or if parents who are overcome by emotional shock and grief fail to report a child's unexpected death in a hospital.[34] Moreover, critics note that the law isn't likely to affect a parent who murders a child either intentionally or in a fit of anger or rage, since the law will not make it more likely that such parent would report the death within the given time limit. [35] Critics argue that the law is a waste of time and resources, because the law would bog down police with investigations and prosecutions of parents who innocently fail to report within the time limits and with non-emergency reports from parents fearful of prosecution, while those parents that the law is intended to punish will be unaffected by the law because they are no more likely to make a report than they would be without the law and their failure to report is protected by the fifth amendment to the U.S. Constitution.[36][37]

Caylee's Law - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Cousin Dupree]

Not sure. But I did find this interesting...

In South Dakota, two people were charged with failure to report the death of two-year-old Rielee Lovell under the new law.[31] The defense attorney for Laurie Cournoyer claimed that the law violated his client's right against self-incrimination, saying "essentially what the state has done is criminalized a citizen's right to remain silent."[32]

Critics and opponents of Caylee's Law state various reasons for their opposition. Some critics say the law is unconstitutional in that it violates the 5th Amendment. Critics also claim the law will mostly harm innocent parents. The laws as proposed do not distinguish the cause or place of death, therefore even parents whose children die in the hospital due to sudden illnesses are still required to report the death to the local police within the law's time frame or face felony charges in addition to the sudden tragic loss of their child.[33] One critic noted the law could lead to overcompliance and false reports by parents wary of becoming suspects, wasting police resources and leading to legitimate abductions going uninvestigated during the critical first few hours. Additionally innocent people could get snared in the law, for example, if the parents first begin searching for a child instead of immediately calling police, or if parents who are overcome by emotional shock and grief fail to report a child's unexpected death in a hospital.[34] Moreover, critics note that the law isn't likely to affect a parent who murders a child either intentionally or in a fit of anger or rage, since the law will not make it more likely that such parent would report the death within the given time limit. [35] Critics argue that the law is a waste of time and resources, because the law would bog down police with investigations and prosecutions of parents who innocently fail to report within the time limits and with non-emergency reports from parents fearful of prosecution, while those parents that the law is intended to punish will be unaffected by the law because they are no more likely to make a report than they would be without the law and their failure to report is protected by the fifth amendment to the U.S. Constitution.[36][37]

Caylee's Law - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

I thought Caylee's law was reporting a child missing within 48 hours. I never knew it had to do with reporting death. As far as a child dying in the hospital, that would be the hospitals responsibility, I'd think.

 

[Guess Who]

Jumping in here late, but why doesn't every state have a Caylee's law?

probably because it hasn't directly affected the people in position to make such laws. That seems to be the only thing that gets politicians to do anything.

 

[kdg411]

New details emerge about Massachusetts judge who placed Harmony Montgomery in father’s custody

As the search continues for 7-year-old Harmony Montgomery, there is new information about the judge who placed the girl in the custody of her father.

www.wmur.com

As News 9 Investigates has reported, the judge granted custody to Harmony's father, Adam Montgomery, despite his extensive criminal record.

That decision was made before a home study was fully complete as part of an interstate compact.

 

[Guess Who]

New details emerge about Massachusetts judge who placed Harmony Montgomery in father’s custody

As the search continues for 7-year-old Harmony Montgomery, there is new information about the judge who placed the girl in the custody of her father.

www.wmur.com

As News 9 Investigates has reported, the judge granted custody to Harmony's father, Adam Montgomery, despite his extensive criminal record.

That decision was made before a home study was fully complete as part of an interstate compact.

and I hope he has lost at least some sleep over this decision. It seems that they were just too eager to get her out of the system and that being the only thing.

 

[kdg411]

NH missing girl’s disappearance narrowed to 13-day window; stepmother appears in court

The stepmom of a missing New Hampshire appeared before a judge on Monday as the search for the little girl continues. Our Adam Sullivan reports.

www.wcax.com

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

National Center for Missing and Exploited Children joins search for Harmony Montgomery

The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children is now assisting New Hampshire law enforcement in their search for 7-year-old Harmony Montgomery.

www.wmur.com

National Center for Missing and Exploited Children joins search for Harmony Montgomery​

The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children is now assisting New Hampshire law enforcement in their search for 7-year-old Harmony Montgomery.

It has been 30 days since Manchester police opened a missing person investigation for Harmony, who they said hasn't been seen in two years.

The NCMEC brings decades of experience to the search for missing children. Its posters aim to get the word out about missing children as investigators say they're confident someone knows where Harmony is.

"We are an organization built on hope," said John Bischoff III, of the NCMEC. "Until proven otherwise, we will continue to look for this child."

"There are too many cases out there, whether it be Jaycee Dugard or Elizabeth Smart — there are too many times that theory has been proven wrong to give up hope at this point," Bischoff said.

 

[GrandmaBear]

New details emerge about Massachusetts judge who placed Harmony Montgomery in father’s custody

As the search continues for 7-year-old Harmony Montgomery, there is new information about the judge who placed the girl in the custody of her father.

www.wmur.com

As News 9 Investigates has reported, the judge granted custody to Harmony's father, Adam Montgomery, despite his extensive criminal record.

That decision was made before a home study was fully complete as part of an interstate compact.

Well I'm going to guess a judge is supposed to wait for that home study and he did not. We know however judges have a lot of discretion and the ability to go ahead and do as they see fit. It's a scary thing when one thinks about it. Of course something could be done about it and he could answer for it if anyone had the resources when this happened to do so or even knew how to and it would have likely went right back to the same court judge with the same decision.

He should step down. He didn't wait for a study, the father had a criminal record and from everything it sounds like was not involved in her life up until then in any real way.

One state loves to pass off a problem to another state or just off their hands and some judges like to just clear their case load I think. To be fair, many have a heavy one, courts are overloaded but this sure isn't the answer.

Thinking most judges care about each individual child or person is a bit of a pipe dream I think. Even if they do, again case load, resources, time and more...

There was though it sounds a home study in this one so why not wait for completion of it?

The parents failed this child first and foremost. And even so, the mother is not the one responsible for I believe her death, the father is, again I believe. And the judge isn't either. But every single thing that came before placed her with the father as did the judge.

Jmo.

 

[Kimster]

and I hope he has lost at least some sleep over this decision. It seems that they were just too eager to get her out of the system and that being the only thing.

Whoever made the final decision needs to be held accountable. Time to get out of that position before somebody else is wrongly sent to a killer.

 

[Guess Who]

Whoever made the final decision needs to be held accountable. Time to get out of that position before somebody else is wrongly sent to a killer.

I would like to know how the children were split up when there was a family that wanted both of them. Did dad not want the son? Was he found not able too.i care for the son yet fine for her? This puzzles me and not in a good way.

 

[RoundPeg]

I would like to know how the children were split up when there was a family that wanted both of them. Did dad not want the son? Was he found not able too.i care for the son yet fine for her? This puzzles me and not in a good way.

Are they full siblings?

 

[Guess Who]

Are they full siblings?

There were a few articles that made it sound that way. One of them was an interview with the family that kept inquiring about her. But as always, we are at the mercy of the reporter's interpretation

 

[kdg411]

Are they full siblings?

No

When worlds collide: D.C. couple who adopted Harmony Montgomery’s sibling choose to walk in the light on this dark road - Manchester Ink Link

Beyond the crushing headlines pleading for help in finding Harmony Montgomery, 7, a child who has not been accounted for since the fall of 2019, there is a parallel universe; a world that promises love, safety and permanency for children caught up in the foster care system.

manchesterinklink.com

In this case, those worlds have collided for Blair and Johnathon Miller of Washington, D.C. In November of 2019, they adopted Harmony’s younger half-brother, Jamison through the Massachusetts foster care system.

 

[Guess Who]

No

When worlds collide: D.C. couple who adopted Harmony Montgomery’s sibling choose to walk in the light on this dark road - Manchester Ink Link

Beyond the crushing headlines pleading for help in finding Harmony Montgomery, 7, a child who has not been accounted for since the fall of 2019, there is a parallel universe; a world that promises love, safety and permanency for children caught up in the foster care system.

manchesterinklink.com

In this case, those worlds have collided for Blair and Johnathon Miller of Washington, D.C. In November of 2019, they adopted Harmony’s younger half-brother, Jamison through the Massachusetts foster care system.

Thank you! That makes much more sense.

and it still sounds like his adoptive parents are the very reason why we know she is missing

"We pushed her to help us figure out where she is so we can have a relationship with her,” says Blair."

 

[GrandmaBear]

Also when they adopted the boy, he was still in the system and adoptable but Harmony had already been reunited with family. I think the mother is the parent of both, different fathers.

 

[Guess Who]

Also when they adopted the boy, he was still in the system and adoptable but Harmony had already been reunited with family. I think the mother is the parent of both, different fathers.

that is what I believe now, too. I had overlooked the half sibling part of the other article, getting caught up on the fact that it was his adoptive parents that were the ones inquiring about her and insisting that the mom look into it further since they could not.

 

[GrandmaBear]

that is what I believe now, too. I had overlooked the half sibling part of the other article, getting caught up on the fact that it was his adoptive parents that were the ones inquiring about her and insisting that the mom look into it further since they could not.

Yeah, I saw you wonder earlier today and I was pretty sure I'd read they were half or thought so so I went back and looked for you and all but I couldn't find where I had seen it. I didn't go into every link just skimmed the early pages. I then saw KDG had found it.

Whatever the case though both these children ended up in the system so neither father or the sole mother was able to keep them at that point or stop it from happening I guess.

 

[Guess Who]

Yeah, I saw you wonder earlier today and I was pretty sure I'd read they were half or thought so so I went back and looked for you and all but I couldn't find where I had seen it. I didn't go into every link just skimmed the early pages. I then saw KDG had found it.

Whatever the case though both these children ended up in the system so neither father or the sole mother was able to keep them at that point or stop it from happening I guess.

and only the mom could open any inquiry as to the whereabouts of her daughter and the part that gets me is that it took an outside party insisting that she inquire about her. I give them ALL the kudos for standing up for this child.

 

[kdg411]

SJC orders review of Harmony Montgomery case - The Boston Globe

SJC Chief Justice Kimberly S. Budd disclosed the review in a letter last week to New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu, according to documents released to the Globe on Thursday.

www.bostonglobe.com

SJC Chief Justice Kimberly S. Budd disclosed the review last Friday in a letter to New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu. Three days earlier, Sununu wrote to Budd, asking why the Massachusetts judicial system placed Harmony in the custody of her father, Adam, whom he described as a “monstrous drug dealer.” Sununu also questioned why the decision was made before child welfare officials in New Hampshire could fully vet Adam Montgomery’s suitability to care for the child. He was living in New Hampshire when he sought custody of Harmony.

 

[Guess Who]

SJC orders review of Harmony Montgomery case - The Boston Globe

SJC Chief Justice Kimberly S. Budd disclosed the review in a letter last week to New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu, according to documents released to the Globe on Thursday.

www.bostonglobe.com

SJC Chief Justice Kimberly S. Budd disclosed the review last Friday in a letter to New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu. Three days earlier, Sununu wrote to Budd, asking why the Massachusetts judicial system placed Harmony in the custody of her father, Adam, whom he described as a “monstrous drug dealer.” Sununu also questioned why the decision was made before child welfare officials in New Hampshire could fully vet Adam Montgomery’s suitability to care for the child. He was living in New Hampshire when he sought custody of Harmony.

What I am seeing is one state seeing an opportunity to relieve themselves of the responsibility of a foster child AND shift the responsibly to a different state, but without any reguards for the child, herself.