LaborDayRN
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This case brings back so many bad memories of Gabriel Fernandez for me. I'm afraid it will be very difficult for me to follow.
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I think the issue was that Harmony didn’t have an allocated worker![]()
This is definitely true here. The ultimate goal is to have children back with their birth parents. Usually children will stay in foster situations or guardianships until all other efforts have been exhausted and their rights are terminated permanently, they relinquish their rights, or they get their act together.I think the issues with social work are pretty similar the world over, children’s rights are ultimately being superseded by parental rights. There is a also a real focus on maintaining a child in their birth family or rehabilitating them back to birth family following intervention.
Forgive my ignorance, but would a judge who deals with custody issues in the US also deal with care orders for child and family social work? I’m interested as our civil courts deal with custody issues and we have a separate system for children requiring care and protection. Social work doesn’t tend to have any influence in civil cases, although we can provide welfare and background reports if requested. If Harmony’s situation were to have happened here, Dad would have had to apply for custody personally and argued for Mum’s rights be terminated. I wonder what his motivation was, as he was in prison for much of her early life. Did it benefit him financially to have custody?
Social Works continued involvement in Harmony’s life would have then had to be legally quantified in a separate Children’s Hearing. Dad’s criminal and violent history alongside his homeless status would certainly have met the threshold IMO. But as with any process, it can only be actioned by a diligent worker. I can’t fathom how any professional worth their salt would have happily sent Harmony on her way with that man without at least linking in with the new authority area and sharing pertinent information.
I know that NH law prohibits shutting off power in winter or in certain conditions. With very young children, they may have qualified for such continuation; but the onus would be on the resident to initiate a request. I wonder even if there is such a program whether the adults cared enough to pursue it. Temperatures were warm in the summer and there are more hours of daylight.Do they just cut off the power even if there are children living in the house?
I think the issue was that Harmony didn’t have an allocated worker
I’m not in the US, but I’m in Social Work in the UK and I am certainly sick to my stomach and my heart about how Harmony has been failed at every turn. I think the issues with social work are pretty similar the world over, children’s rights are ultimately being superseded by parental rights. There is a also a real focus on maintaining a child in their birth family or rehabilitating them back to birth family following intervention. Research does indicate this generally has better outcomes for children, but every case must be considered individually because the risks are just too great for some. Laws and policies need to change, frontline staff have to navigate far too much red tape before we can act on concerns and establish grounds for statutory involvement. It’s depressing and demoralising and utterly dangerous at times, as Harmony’s case illustrates.
It’s everyone’s job to make sure a child is alright and in the current circumstances of a global pandemic, universal health and education services aren’t having the same level of contact with children they would have pre-Covid, families are becoming more isolated and vulnerable children are going under the radar. I actually think governments should be running media campaigns around child protection and safeguarding. We need to educate the general public on signs of child abuse and neglect and inform communities how they can report concerns.
Same here (UK). It has been business as usual, we’ve actually been busier because community and health services have been drastically reduced. Domestic abuse has rocketed and mental health has deteriorated. Covid has, however, been a convenient excuse for many non-compliant or difficult to engage families to withdraw even further. We’ve had several children die at the hands of parents in horrendous circumstances since the pandemic began though, it’s heartbreaking.
IMO the last allocated worker in MA, and their immediate supervisor, would have been responsible for liaising with NH to transfer the case. I’m interested to know whether any attempts were made to do so. Over here, it is notoriously difficult to get a neighbouring authority to take on a new case, whether it be due to professional/political power struggles over budgets or judgement, who knows.
Even if there had been a telephone call between the states, that would have been logged so Harmony’s name would have been flagged in the system back in 2019 when Police attended surely? Although that would be dependent on an officer making checks in the first place. They certainly didn’t act on the child assault allegations by Harmony’s paternal uncle.
Forgive my ignorance, but would a judge who deals with custody issues in the US also deal with care orders for child and family social work? I’m interested as our civil courts deal with custody issues and we have a separate system for children requiring care and protection. Social work doesn’t tend to have any influence in civil cases, although we can provide welfare and background reports if requested. If Harmony’s situation were to have happened here, Dad would have had to apply for custody personally and argued for Mum’s rights be terminated. I wonder what his motivation was, as he was in prison for much of her early life. Did it benefit him financially to have custody?
Social Works continued involvement in Harmony’s life would have then had to be legally quantified in a separate Children’s Hearing. Dad’s criminal and violent history alongside his homeless status would certainly have met the threshold IMO. But as with any process, it can only be actioned by a diligent worker. I can’t fathom how any professional worth their salt would have happily sent Harmony on her way with that man without at least linking in with the new authority area and sharing pertinent information.
I 100% agree that Harmony was failed by professionals. It’s inexcusable and they should be investigated and disciplined accordingly; However, Social Workers don’t mistreat, neglect or kill children. Crappy, evil parents do that.
We had this happen when I was a child. However.. that may be different in 2020-now with Covid but I'm not sure..Do they just cut off the power even if there are children living in the house?
I share the outrage over this missing child! I'm bothered by accusatory comments about Harmony's mother. Thankfully, WS is victim-friendly forum. Only Adam and Kayla have been charged with crimes related to Harmony.
I have compassion for Harmony's mother. The reporter who adopted her son alluded to Crystal having a difficult upbringing (link below). I've read her social media pages but I won't elaborate because she is not a suspect.
Crystal's children had difficult early years because of her addiction, and that has lifelong ramifications. But she's been upfront that she lost custody because she's a drug addict. When she relapsed, DCF placed Harmony in foster care. Her son's adoptive father confirmed both kids cycled between a series of foster homes and Crystal's custody.
My opinion is Crystal realized she could not give her children what all children need--a stable home with a loving parent who could prioritize their needs. Because she loved them, she did what was best for them: releasing them for adoption.
Crystal's son was then free for adoption (because his biological father gave up his rights or they were terminated). He was adopted through an open adoption, Crystal met the adoptive parents before it was finalized. She's maintained a connection with him.
When worlds collide: D.C. couple who adopted Harmony Montgomery’s sibling choose to walk in the light on this dark road | Manchester Ink Link
Harmony was not free for adoption; her father's parental rights were not terminated. So she was reunited with her biological parent. Crystal had no parental rights to Harmony, no right to visitation, contact, photos or updates. She initially had contact but soon after Adam and Kayla blocked her.
Crystal tried to check on Harmony's welfare over the past 2 years. After October 2019, when Harmony was last seen by an uncle and police, Adam moved around. He was homeless at times and sometimes in a program. She reached out to his relatives but he'd cut off contact with them too. She drove by addresses associated with Adam and schools. She made inquiries to DCYF, but remember she had no legal relationship to Harmony. And she did not have specific allegations that'd prompt DCYF to track down a biological parent/child.
My fury is focused on Adam Montgomery. Whatever happened to this child, he is responsible. "In your custody is in your care." Adam didn't ask relatives to take her in. He didn't contact DCYF to put her in foster care. He abused and tortured his daughter. She lived in squalor and turmoil. And when she became too inconvenient, he discarded her somehow.
I'll also channel my outrage over Harmony into demanding answers from child protective services in both Massachusetts and New Hampshire. She should never have been placed in the home of a violent drug addict. Biology shouldn't trump a child's welfare.
That's on the corner of Elm street in Manchester. Across from a Market Basket (big grocery store) on Murphy's Tap Room. It will be well viewed. I've heard there's also one on the MA/NH border.
Google Maps
I share the outrage over this missing child! I'm bothered by accusatory comments about Harmony's mother. Thankfully, WS is victim-friendly forum. Only Adam and Kayla have been charged with crimes related to Harmony.
I have compassion for Harmony's mother. The reporter who adopted her son alluded to Crystal having a difficult upbringing (link below). I've read her social media pages but I won't elaborate because she is not a suspect.
Crystal's children had difficult early years because of her addiction, and that has lifelong ramifications. But she's been upfront that she lost custody because she's a drug addict. When she relapsed, DCF placed Harmony in foster care. Her son's adoptive father confirmed both kids cycled between a series of foster homes and Crystal's custody.
My opinion is Crystal realized she could not give her children what all children need--a stable home with a loving parent who could prioritize their needs. Because she loved them, she did what was best for them: releasing them for adoption.
Crystal's son was then free for adoption (because his biological father gave up his rights or they were terminated). He was adopted through an open adoption, Crystal met the adoptive parents before it was finalized. She's maintained a connection with him.
When worlds collide: D.C. couple who adopted Harmony Montgomery’s sibling choose to walk in the light on this dark road | Manchester Ink Link
Harmony was not free for adoption; her father's parental rights were not terminated. So she was reunited with her biological parent. Crystal had no parental rights to Harmony, no right to visitation, contact, photos or updates. She initially had contact but soon after Adam and Kayla blocked her.
Crystal tried to check on Harmony's welfare over the past 2 years. After October 2019, when Harmony was last seen by an uncle and police, Adam moved around. He was homeless at times and sometimes in a program. She reached out to his relatives but he'd cut off contact with them too. She drove by addresses associated with Adam and schools. She made inquiries to DCYF, but remember she had no legal relationship to Harmony. And she did not have specific allegations that'd prompt DCYF to track down a biological parent/child.
My fury is focused on Adam Montgomery. Whatever happened to this child, he is responsible. "In your custody is in your care." Adam didn't ask relatives to take her in. He didn't contact DCYF to put her in foster care. He abused and tortured his daughter. She lived in squalor and turmoil. And when she became too inconvenient, he discarded her somehow.
I'll also channel my outrage over Harmony into demanding answers from child protective services in both Massachusetts and New Hampshire. She should never have been placed in the home of a violent drug addict. Biology shouldn't trump a child's welfare.
If you click through to the local who posted the pic shared by the reporter, he has a more updated pic that shows the tarp removed and snow is gone. Green grass covered with black cables.Josh Benson
@WFLAJosh
Quote Tweet
@Nerdy_Addict
Police have been outside all evening guarding the scene of the home where Harmony Montgomery once lived in 2019.
A massive blue tarp is laid out alongside the entire backyard. At several points the shift commander drove by and stopped, talking to patrol vehicle posted outside.
Video at link: https://twitter.com/WFLAJosh/status/1480193863948111874
If you read the links and timeline that have been kindly provided in the threads, then you'll see Harmony's mum didn't wait 3 years, as you've stated, to start looking and enquiring about Harmony.Kayla is just as much a monster as Adam. How can you stay there, with your own children, with a monster that you know has likely murdered his own child? Even if he truly lied to her about Harmony going to her mother's, at some point she would've asked when Harmony was coming to visit, when are you going to send her money or child support, blah blah blah. I hope they both rot in h*ll. That'll be the only way their existing children will have any chance in life. Such a tragedy for this innocent child. Shame on her own mother, too!! It takes you 3 years to start asking questions and looking around?? Come on! Burn all 3.
Are you able to link us?If you click through to the local who posted the pic shared by the reporter, he has a more updated pic that shows the tarp removed and snow is gone. Green grass covered with black cables.
BBM<modsnip - quoted post removed>
Some neighbors have been speaking to the media, and I wondered the same thing.
A man identifying himself as Harmony's maternal grandfather has spoken to a reporter. Adam's brother has been quoted in the media, as has Harmony's maternal cousin. Adam's brother's interview with investigators is included in the arrest documents.
Links (all cited previously by others in this thread--thank you to those WSers):
Harmony Montgomery’s grandfather: ‘I have a lot of hope. I pray.’
Uncle of Missing Girl Says Family Feuded the Last Time He Saw Her Alive
Harmony Montgomery: Who Are the Missing Child’s Parents? | Heavy.com
The linked article is behind a paywall but I believe there's been a lot of confusion with regard to Kevin being addressed as Harmony's "uncle". When in fact he's Adam's uncle.BBM
Hi there-- do you have a link for Adam's brother talking about the case ??
I see above the articles pertaining to his Uncle and neighbors and Maternal grandpa but haven't see anything from a sibling of Adam yet.
TIA