The state of New Hampshire has settled a wrongful death lawsuit with Crystal Sorey, the mother of Harmony Montgomery, for $2.25 million, as part of an agreement that absolves the state from admitting any wrongdoing or unlawful conduct. According to NBC Boston, the settlement also stipulates that Sorey will withdraw her lawsuit and release the state from any future liability concerning her daughter's case.
Last fall, Sorey sued the New Hampshire Division for Children, Youth and Families (DCYF), alleging the agency failed to address various red flags about her daughter's safety after she was placed under her father Adam Montgomery's care in 2019. Harmony's tragic story drew attention from advocacy groups and media alike, as reports came to light of the girl returning from a trip to Florida with injury marks, including a black eye per Boston 25 News. Adam Montgomery was convicted of second-degree murder and related charges in a case that saw the grim fate of Harmony only coming to light nearly two years following her death.
The circumstances surrounding the girl's disappearance and death have cast a shadow over New Hampshire's child welfare system. Adam Montgomery was sentenced to a minimum of 56 years in prison after his conviction in May of 2024 for murdering his daughter and then desecrating her remains. Despite extensive searches, Harmony's body has never been found.
In a statement obtained by Boston 25 News, Attorney General John M. Formella addressed the settlements by saying, “The state agreed to these settlements to avoid prolonged litigation, and support closure for the families.” He added, “We recognize their profound loss and hope this brings some measure of peace.” The attorney general's office also disclosed other settlements, including a $5.75 million one with the family of Dennis Vaughan and a $2.25 million settlement in December with Timothy Lewis, related to separate cases of child murder.
