CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — Authorities searched the last known residence of Harmony Montgomery on Saturday to investigate the disappearance of the New Hampshire girl, who vanished in 2019 at age 5 but was not reported missing until late last year.
Law enforcement agencies were working at a home in Manchester, said state Attorney General John M. Formella, Hillsborough County Attorney John Coughlin and Manchester Police Chief Allen Aldenberg. Details were not released.
Harmony’s father and stepmother have been arrested on charges related to her well-being.
Adam Montgomery, 31, was charged with counts including failing to have Harmony in his custody. Kayla Montgomery, 31, was charged with welfare fraud on suspicion of obtaining $1,500 in food stamps from December 2019 to June 2021 for Harmony at a time when the girl was not living with Kayla and Adam.
The two have pleaded not guilty.
Police first became aware Harmony might be missing when they received a call from the girl’s mother in November. She had been trying to locate the girl for months, police said.
Police said they had made contact with Adam Montgomery and other family members by the end of December. An affidavit said police were told Harmony “had not been physically observed in over two years and that we had concern for whether or not she was still alive.”
A candlelit vigil was held in a Manchester park Saturday night; family and friends sought to remind the public that Harmony is still missing, NBC10 Boston reported.
The girl’s mother, Crystal Sorey, made her first public appearance since the search got underway, telling the station that she doesn’t feel like her daughter is 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.”
Sorey lost legal custody of Harmony in 2018 and said she was blocked by her ex-husband from contacting her.
She had this message for her daughter: “Hi, baby. 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.”
Police are still requesting help from the public in locating Harmony, Formella said in a statement. Anyone with information is urged to call 603-203-6060, he said. Manchester police have also said local donations have pushed a reward for information that helps find Harmony to $94,000, WMUR-TV reported.