An unbiased investigation is underway in Massachusetts into the state's dealing with of lacking New Hampshire 7-year-old Harmony Montgomery’s case – and the way her deadbeat dad was awarded custody again in February 2019, Republican Gov. Charlie Baker says.
"I think we should wait until the Office of the Child Advocate finishes their review," he stated during a news briefing Wednesday. "They are there for a reason."
Harmony was as soon as positioned out and in of foster care in Massachusetts earlier than being despatched to stay together with her allegedly drug-addicted dad.
Harmony, now 7, was reported lacking final month after final being seen 2 years in the past.
(Manchester Police)
MISSING HARMONY MONTGOMERY: TIMELINE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE GIRL'S DISAPPEARANCE
Police in Manchester, New Hampshire, arrested Adam Montgomery earlier this month after police discovered him dwelling out of a automobile and found his daughter has been unaccounted for because the fall of 2019.
Montgomery’s ex, Crystal Sorey, needed to give up Harmony to Massachusetts officers in 2018 partly because of substance abuse problems with her personal. On Feb. 22, 2019, a Massachusetts court docket awarded custody to Montgomery – regardless of his historical past of medication and violence.
Baker’s statements got here a day after his New Hampshire counterpart, Gov. Chris Sununu, additionally a Republican, reportedly despatched a letter to the chief justice of Massachusetts’ Supreme Court docket, slamming a lower-court choose’s resolution to grant Montgomery custody of his daughter in 2019, which Baker acknowledged throughout a Wednesday information briefing.
Adam Montgomery stood for a reserving picture on the Hillsborough County Home of Corrections on Jan. 5, 2022. His 7-year-old daughter, Harmony Montgomery, was reported lacking every week earlier however hasn't been accounted for since 2019.
(Hillsborough County Home of Corrections)
"I totally get where Governor Sununu is coming from," Baker stated. "And we are cooperating to the fullest extent possible that we can with the Office of the Child Advocate here in Massachusetts, which is an independent entity that is reviewing this case and has the ability to access the data that’s necessary to figure out exactly what happened."
"We are cooperating to the fullest extent possible that we can with the Office of the Child Advocate here in Massachusetts."
Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker. (Related Press)
MISSING HARMONY MONTGOMERY'S DEADBEAT DAD A SUSPECT IN COLD CASE MASSACHUSETTS MURDER: REPORT
The lady was not even together with her father for a full 12 months earlier than police say she grew to become unaccounted for. And he's now in a New Hampshire jail cell for allegedly giving the partially blind youngster a black eye in July 2019 and different accusations of kid abuse.
In 2014, he pleaded responsible to a botched theft by which authorities stated he shot a suspected drug supplier within the face.
Kayla Montgomery, 31, was arrested in Manchester, New Hampshire, and charged with welfare fraud as authorities proceed their determined seek for 7-year-old Harmony Montgomery, who final seen in October 2019 and first reported lacking final week. (Manchester Police Division)
And this previous summer season, his mother-in-law filed for an order of safety after alleging that he confirmed up at her home with a knife and tapped on the window whereas her daughter was hiding on the market following the couple’s cut up.
His estranged spouse, Kayla Montgomery, can also be at present in custody after allegedly gathering welfare funds on behalf of Harmony for greater than a 12 months after she final noticed the lady.
HARMONY MONTGOMERY'S MOM BEGGED MAYOR TO SAVE DAUGHTER FROM HOMELESS, DRUG-ABUSING DAD
Harmony’s noncustodial organic mom reported her lacking in late November, based on a police affidavit, after she spent virtually two years attempting to contact Montgomery with out success. When investigators started searching for her, they found nobody they interviewed had "physically seen her" since simply after Thanksgiving in 2019.
The seek for Harmony is ongoing, and Manchester police introduced this week that the reward cash for data that results in her whereabouts had climbed to over $140,000.
Harmony is about 4 toes tall and 50 kilos. She has blonde hair and blue eyes and wears eyeglasses. She’s additionally blind in her proper eye.
Manchester police urge anybody with data to name the devoted tip line at 603-203-6060.
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