Massachusetts Senate mulls change to child welfare law after girl vanishes when placed in ex-con dad’s custody
Massachusetts Senate mulls change to child welfare law after girl vanishes when placed in ex-con dad's custody Fox News
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Massachusetts Lawmakers Hear Emotional Testimony on Failed Adoption Case
Massachusetts lawmakers heard emotional testimony this week from a couple who tried unsuccessfully to adopt a 5-year-old girl who was placed in the care of her drug abusing, ex-convict father, who is now charged with her murder.
Background
- Johnathon Bobbitt-Miller and Blair Miller had previously adopted Jamison, the half-brother of Harmony Montgomery, and wanted to bring her into their household to reunite the siblings.
- However, after her father Adam Montgomery got out of prison for a drug robbery and shooting, a Massachusetts family court judge agreed to place the girl in his care. Harmony had never met her father before. He was in prison for shooting a man in the face when she was born.
- Montgomery soon collected welfare payments on behalf of the child, and his estranged wife was accused of continuing to receive them for months after Harmony was last seen alive. Kayla Montgomery is now cooperating with investigators in the murder case against her husband.
The Tragic Outcome
“Harmony’s fate was sealed the minute she became a number and/or a case load,” Bobbitt-Miller said. “She’s more than that to us, and we won’t stop fighting until change happens.”
- A watchdog investigation last year found serious “miscalculations” in the family court system’s decision to hand Harmony over to her father before her disappearance and presumed murder.
- A group of lawmakers is seeking to establish a new “Harmony commission” designed to “study and make recommendations related to the welfare and best interests of children in care and protection cases.”
The Call for Action
The Millers are asking supporters to reach out to their state representatives and senators and urge them to vote in favor of H.4088 and S.118.
Uncovering the Truth
- It took years before anyone even knew something was wrong. Adam Montgomery is now accused of beating Harmony to death while abusing drugs and living out of a car, then hiding her body. He has pleaded not guilty.
- Her biological mother, who had forfeited custody years earlier due to her own struggles with drug abuse, learned in 2021 from school officials that Harmony had never been enrolled.
- Harmony’s remains have not been found. However, investigators say they’ve found her DNA in several locations they believe her father concealed her body before he allegedly rented a U-Haul van and dumped her remains in a marsh outside Boston.
Contact Information
Anyone with information about Harmony Montgomery is asked to call a 24-hour tip line at 603-203-6060.
SDGs, Targets, and Indicators Analysis
1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?
- SDG 1: No Poverty
- SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
- SDG 4: Quality Education
- SDG 5: Gender Equality
- SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
- SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions
The article discusses the issues of child welfare, adoption, domestic violence, and the failures of the family court system. These issues are connected to the SDGs mentioned above, which aim to address poverty, ensure good health and well-being, provide quality education, promote gender equality, reduce inequalities, and establish strong institutions.
2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?
- Target 1.3: Implement nationally appropriate social protection systems and measures for all, including floors, and by 2030 achieve substantial coverage of the poor and the vulnerable.
- Target 3.1: By 2030, reduce the global maternal mortality ratio to less than 70 per 100,000 live births.
- Target 4.2: By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys have access to quality early childhood development, care and pre-primary education so that they are ready for primary education.
- Target 5.2: Eliminate all forms of violence against all women and girls in the public and private spheres, including trafficking and sexual and other types of exploitation.
- Target 10.2: By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status.
- Target 16.3: Promote the rule of law at the national and international levels and ensure equal access to justice for all.
Based on the article’s content, these specific targets can be identified as relevant to the issues discussed.
3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?
Yes, there are indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets. However, the article does not provide specific data or statistics to measure progress. Indicators could include:
- Percentage of children living in poverty
- Maternal mortality ratio
- Access to early childhood development and pre-primary education
- Incidence of violence against women and girls
- Measures of social, economic, and political inclusion
- Access to justice and rule of law
These indicators would need to be measured and tracked over time to assess progress towards the identified targets.
Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
| SDGs | Targets | Indicators |
|---|---|---|
| SDG 1: No Poverty | Target 1.3: Implement nationally appropriate social protection systems and measures for all, including floors, and by 2030 achieve substantial coverage of the poor and the vulnerable. | Percentage of children living in poverty |
| SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being | Target 3.1: By 2030, reduce the global maternal mortality ratio to less than 70 per 100,000 live births. | Maternal mortality ratio |
| SDG 4: Quality Education | Target 4.2: By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys have access to quality early childhood development, care and pre-primary education so that they are ready for primary education. | Access to early childhood development and pre-primary education |
| SDG 5: Gender Equality | Target 5.2: Eliminate all forms of violence against all women and girls in the public and private spheres, including trafficking and sexual and other types of exploitation. | Incidence of violence against women and girls |
| SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities | Target 10.2: By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status. | Measures of social, economic, and political inclusion |
| SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions | Target 16.3: Promote the rule of law at the national and international levels and ensure equal access to justice for all. | Access to justice and rule of law |
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Source: foxnews.com
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