MANCHESTER, N.H. (WHDH) - A New Hampshire man has been ordered held without bail on an assault charge in connection with an alleged incident involving his 7-year-old daughter who was last seen in 2019.
Adam Montgomery, 31, of Manchester, was arraigned in Hillsborough Superior Court — North on a charge of felony second-degree assault arising from conduct against 7-year-old Harmony Montgomery back in 2019.
Montgomery is also facing one misdemeanor charge of interference with custody and two misdemeanor charges of endangering the welfare of a child pertaining to Harmony, according to law enforcement officials.
Following the hearing, Prosecutor Jesse O’Neill said, “Until we’re presented with evidence otherwise, this is a rescue mission.”
Harmony’s mother reached out to Manchester police on Nov. 18 to report that it had been more than six months since she had seen her daughter, who is in the custody of her ex-partner, Adam Montgomery, according to court documents.
DCYF was contacted and on Dec. 27, they notified the police that they were unable to locate Harmony.
An investigation revealed that Harmony had not been seen since October or November of 2019 and that her mother had not seen her daughter since around Easter of 2019, the court documents read.
Detectives spoke to family members who raised concerns about Adam Montgomery’s behavior toward Harmony and said that they had seen Harmony with a black eye back in 2019, the court documents continued.
During an interview with police on Dec. 30, the uncle of Adam Montgomery reportedly said that Adam told him that he had caused Harmony’s eye injury after leaving her in charge of watching her infant brother while he was in the bathroom. Harmony allegedly had put her hand over the infant’s mouth to stop him from crying and Adam Montgomery reportedly responded by striking Harmony in the face.
The same uncle also reported signs of abusive discipline, telling authorities that Adam Montgomery had forced Harmony to clean a toilet with a toothbrush.
On Dec. 31, officers made contact with Adam Montgomery, who was found sleeping in a vehicle in the area of Harvell Street, the court documents read.
He allegedly made contradictory statements, which raised the police officers’ suspicion and concern for Harmony’s well-being.
Adam Montgomery was subsequently arrested on Jan. 4 in Manchester on a warrant.
Court documents also indicated that he was previously arrested on assault to murder charge in 2014 after allegedly shooting someone in the head during a failed drug deal in Haverhill, Massachusetts. Harmony was born six months after the incident.
The search for Harmony remains ongoing and a $43,000 reward is being offered to anyone with information leading to her discovery.
Anyone with information regarding Harmony is asked to call the Manchester police’s dedicated tip line at 603-203-6060.
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