Nearly $100,000 is now being offered in the search for Harmony Montgomery, a 7-year-old girl from New Hampshire who's been missing for two years and the subject of a major search.
Five new pledges of reward money since Thursday upped the total available for information leading investigators to Harmony to $94,000, the Manchester Police Department said Friday. The new pledges include a $15,000 private donation from a person in Nashua and $10,000 from someone living in Vermont.
Harmony hasn't been seen since late 2019, according to Manchester police, who only found out about her disappearance recently and have since begun a major investigation that includes the FBI.
"We cannot thank the community and those from surrounding states, cities, and towns enough for their generosity and support as we continue to investigate the disappearance of this 7 year old child," police said in a statement. "Your help is greatly appreciated and we hope this reward encourages people to come forward with valuable information."
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No one has been arrested in connection with her disappearance, but Harmony's father was arrested this week on charges including failing to have Harmony in his custody. His wife, Harmony's stepmother, was arrested days later, accused of welfare fraud for allegedly collecting food stamps for the girl even though she was no longer living with them.
Officials say they are continuing to search for Harmony, and presume she is still alive.
"We need to bring her home safely. We want to make sure we have all hands on deck," Gov. Chris Sununu said Thursday.
Manchester police have set up a 24-hour tip line, 603-203-6060, for information that could lead to Harmony. They are working with the state Division for Children, Youth and Families and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children to find her.
Harmony’s mother, who lives in Massachusetts, had called Manchester police in November to say she hadn’t seen her daughter in a while. She originally told officers she hadn’t seen her in over six months, but then said it had been since Easter 2019 when she video chatted with the father and Harmony, according to a police affidavit.
Police said her father, Adam Montgomery, had legal custody of Harmony. He was arrested on a second-degree assault charge Tuesday, as well as charges of interfering with custody and child endangerment. Police accused him of "purposely violating a duty of care, protection or support" by failing to know where she has been since late 2019 — the last reported sighting of Harmony.
Montgomery, 31, of Manchester, had not guilty pleas entered on his behalf by his lawyer. He has been jailed without bail.
In an interview with police, Harmony’s great uncle told officers he saw her with a black eye in July 2019. He said Montgomery told him he hit her after he had seen his daughter holding her hand over her younger brother’s mouth to stop him from crying, according to the police documents.
The family member said he notified the state’s child protective services.
Montgomery’s brother also told police he was concerned Adam was “super short” with the child.
