THE stepmom of a missing New Hampshire girl has been arrested after she allegedly continued to claim food stamp benefits for the seven-year-old for more than a year after she was last seen in 2019.

Kayla Montgomery, 31, was arrested in Manchester on Wednesday and charged with a felony count of welfare fraud, while the search for her missing step-daughter, Harmony Montgomery, continues.

Kayla has been accused of obtaining more than $1,500 in food stamp benefits by failing to remove Harmony from the family's family assistance account.

Investigators said that Kayla collected the cash between December 2019 and June 2021.

Harmony, who was last physically seen in October 2019, was no longer living with Kayla and Adam Montgomery – the little girl's father – at the time.

In an affidavit obtained by The US Sun, prosecutors allege Kayla admitted to "knowingly" receiving the benefits under fraudulent means during a recent interview regarding Harmony's disappearance.

She reportedly told police she last saw the missing seven-year-old the day after Thanksgiving in 2019.

"Kayla stated that one the day after Thanksgiving in 2019, Adam dropped her off at work and said she was going to bring [Harmony] to her mother to live with her," the affidavit reads.

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"Kayla stated that she has not seen [Harmony] since that day."

When asked about receiving food stamp assistance for Harmony for over a year after that time, Kayla reportedly "acknowledged receiving those benefits knowingly, and indicated that she attempted to remove [Harmony] from the account but was unsuccessful.

"According to the case management documents … Kayla did not make any request or attempt to remove [Harmony] from the household account until [June 6, 2021]," the affidavit continues.

STEPMOM IN COURT

Kayla appeared in court on Wednesday wearing a blue surgical mask and a burgundy sweater as she entered a not guilty plea for welfare fraud.

The state of New Hampshire warned the court that if Kayla is released on bail, she will be a flight risk based on her misdemeanor criminal record.

Kayla's attorney said his client has significant ties to New Hampshire and requests she be released on her own recognizance.

The stepmom's defense team painted her as someone who has a close relationship with her three children – ages four, two, and one – and a history of employment.

The defense also raised a concern that Kayla has no money for bail, claiming she recently needed to borrow $40 from someone.

The judge set Kayla's bail at $5,000. If she posts, she cannot have contact with Adam, travel outside New Hampshire, possess firearms, consume alcohol or drugs and must check in daily in person with Manchester PD.

HARMONY'S FATHER ARRESTED

Adam, 31, was also arrested on Wednesday and charged with assaulting Harmony shortly before her mysterious disappearance.

He's been charged with felony second-degree assault stemming from alleged 2019 conduct against Harmony.

The 31-year-old is also facing a misdemeanor charge of interference with custody and two misdemeanor counts of endangering the welfare of a child.

According to court records released Wednesday, Manchester police got a call on November 18, 2021, from Harmony’s biological mother, Crystal Sorey, saying her daughter was missing and that Adam had custody of her.

Police reached out to the Division for Children Youth & Families, which started a search for Adam.

Detectives began searching for the 31-year-old on December 27 after DCYF told them they were unable to local the father.

Investigators later learned that Harmony “had not been physically seen since October/November 2019,” per the affidavit filed Wednesday in Hillsborough County Superior Court.

In their search for Adam, police allegedly spoke with his brother Michael, who told them the 31-year-old was physically abusive to Harmony and gave her a black eye.

A detective then talked to Adam’s uncle Kevin and asked him about Harmony’s eye injury.

According to court documents, Kevin said that Adam told him in July 2019 that he [Adam] “bashed her [Harmony] around the house.”

Adam was allegedly angry at Harmony, who was five years old at the time, because she was supposed to be watching her infant brother, but he started crying, which enraged the father.

The uncle also said Adam spanked his daughter, forced her to stand in the corner for hours and ordered her to scrub a toilet with her toothbrush.

Despite the arrest, the search for Harmony continues.

HARMONY LAST SEEN IN 2019

Mystery shrouds the missing child case of Harmony, who hasn't been seen since October 2019 when cops were called to a home in Manchester, New Hampshire.

But her disappearance wasn't reported until two years later – the last week of December 2021.

Harmony is described as being 4 feet tall and weighing around 50 pounds with blond hair and blue eyes and wears glasses, and is blind in her right eye.

During a late Monday afternoon press conference, Manchester Police Chief Allen Aldenberg said detectives "are running on fumes but working around the clock" to find Harmony.

"I'm in rescue mode. We are not in a recovery operation," Aldenberg said.

"We're operating under the assumption she’s alive and well, and that's how we'll operate until someone convinces me otherwise."

During the press conference, the chief announced a 24-hour tipline and offered more than $10,000 in rewards for information. The tips hotline can be called or texted and will be manned 24/7: 603-203-6060.

'THAT'S MY HARMONY'

The young girl's little brother has been searching for his missing sister in a park, the boy's adopted dads exclusively told The US Sun.

Harmony used to take care of her little brother, Jamison, as they bounced around the foster care system but were ultimately separated in 2019.

The seven-year-old was purportedly reunited with her biological father in February 2019, and Jamison was adopted by Blair and Johnathon Miller in November 2019.

Even at a young age, Jamison is very aware and keeps asking where's Harmony, Blair told The Sun.

The mysterious case of his sister captured national headlines and impacted the Miller's Washington DC home, messing with young Jamison's psyche.

"We try to shield him from the news, but he saw her picture on a flyer and said, 'That's my Harmony. We brought him to a park, and he was looking for her," Johnathon said.

The doting dads said they're doing everything they can to find Harmony for Jamison's sake.

Not having his big sister in his life has impacted Jamison's performance in school, where he's been acting out, his dads told The US Sun.

"Jamison is going through a lot of trauma. It hasn't been an easy road," Johnathon said.

"We're just trying to figure out where she is. Someone does know something. That person needs to come forward," Blair said.

"We don’t want to think of anything else," Johnathan said when asked if they think she's still alive.

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