Stepmother of missing Harmony Montgomery released on bail

The stepmother of a missing New Hampshire girl accused of lying that the child was living with her to collect welfare benefits has been released from prison on bail.

Kayla Montgomery, 31, was released from a Manchester jail on Friday night. She needs to check in daily with police, continue with substance abuse treatment, and have no contact with the child's father, who had custody of Harmony Montgomery. Harmony was last seen in 2019 at age 5 — but authorities didn't know she was missing until last year.

Kayla Montgomery has been in jail since January on the theft by deception charge. More recently, she was arrested on unrelated charges of receiving stolen firearms. She's pleaded not guilty.

Adam Montgomery, Harmony's father, is jailed on an assault charge alleging that he struck Harmony in the face in July 2019. He’s also accused of unrelated firearms theft charges and has pleaded not guilty.

The couple, described as estranged, told police that Harmony was brought to her mother in Massachusetts around Thanksgiving 2019. Her mother said she last saw her daughter during a phone video conversation about Easter that year.

Police have received hundreds of tips. They're offering $150,000 for information that will lead them to Harmony.