Kayla Montgomery, the stepmother of Harmony Montgomery, was accused of collecting $1,500 in food stamps in the girl’s name between December 2019 and June 2021.
Harmony Montgomery had not been living with Kayla and Adam Montgomery, her father, at the time. She disappeared in 2019 when she was 5 years old but was not reported missing until late last year.
Kayla Montgomery pleaded not guilty to the welfare fraud charge but is now expected to face nine new charges, including theft. The New Hampshire Attorney General’s office decided to alter her charges after receiving new information from the state Department of Health and Human Services.
Prosecutors said that the one felony theft charge would be accompanied by eight misdemeanor charges, but did not specify what they were. Meanwhile, prosecutors want Kayla Montgomery’s welfare charge dropped and her bail to remain the same, according to a motion.
Kalya Montgomery’s lawyer asked that she be released from jail. The judge agreed to the prosecution’s request for $5,000 bail.
On Monday, her lawyer filed a motion asking for bail reconsideration after being informed by prosecutors that the welfare fraud charge, a felony, “is unfounded, although a lesser charge or charges may be warranted.”
Prosecutors said they contacted her lawyer about the anticipated new charges, but it was before that conversation that the defense filed its bail reconsideration motion on the welfare charge.
In an interview with police on New Year’s Eve, Kayla Montgomery—who shares three children with her husband, ages 4, 2 and 1—said she last saw Harmony in November or December 2019.
She said her husband was driving Harmony to the child’s mother in Massachusetts. She said she believed Harmony had been returned to the mother and never saw or heard about Harmony after that day, according to the police document.
Kayla Montgomery also told police she hadn’t seen Adam since October and had not spoken to him since November.
Adam Montgomery, 31, was charged last week with several counts, including failing to have Harmony in his custody. He pleaded not guilty and has been jailed without bail.
Police finished their search of the last known residence of Harmony Montgomery on Monday.
Police are still requesting help from the public in locating Harmony. Anyone with information can call 603-203-6060, he said. Manchester police have also said a reward for information that helps find Harmony has also grown to $94,000. Harmony’s great-uncle also started a fundraising effort.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
