Court Releases Harmony Montgomery Custody Hearing Audio

The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ruled that audio recordings from the 2019 custody hearing of Harmony Montgomery, a 5-year-old New Hampshire girl murdered by her father Adam Montgomery, can be released to the public. Adam Montgomery was convicted in the previous year and sentenced to 56 years in prison, with authorities believing Harmony was killed soon after being placed in his care and nearly two years before being reported missing. An independent review criticized the Massachusetts child protection system for miscalculations of risk and prioritizing parental rights over child welfare. Filmmaker Bill Lichtenstein sought access to the recordings for a documentary about secrecy and systemic failures in the state's juvenile courts. The court concluded that releasing the audio could inform the public about Harmony's case and encourage reforms to prevent similar tragedies. The decision highlights the push for greater transparency and accountability in child protection proceedings.