What to Know
- Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small Sr. and his wife, La’Quetta, the city’s superintendent of schools, have been indicted on child endangerment and other charges for allegedly beating their teenage daughter on numerous occasions.
- The indictment was made Tuesday by a grand jury that accused the couple of child endangerment.
- Marty Small also was charged with assault and making terroristic threats. Prosecutors said both parents hit and emotionally abused the girl, who was 15 to 16 years old, on multiple occasions in December and January.
Months after allegations of child abuse against Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small and his wife, La’Quetta Small, came to light, the couple was indicted on a child endangerment charge.
The indictment against the 50-year-old mayor and his 47-year-old wife were delivered on Sept. 17, 2024, and revealed to the public by the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office the following day.
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The charge both of the Smalls face is second-degree endangering the welfare of a child, the prosecutor's office said. Mayor Small was also indicted for third-degree terroristic threats, and third-degree aggravated assault.
What the Smalls are accused of doing
"It is alleged that during the months of December 2023 and January 2024, the defendants physically and emotionally abused their 15/16-year-old-daughter on multiple occasions," prosecutors wrote.
The mayor was accused of repeatedly hitting his daughter in the head with a broom until she blacked out, and repeatedly punching her in the legs, court documents say. Her mother was accused of dragging her by her hair, punching her in the chest and face, and hitting her with a belt.
The root of the conflict, according to the court document, was the Smalls' disapproval of their daughter's boyfriend.
In a statement about the indictment, prosecutors laid out their case:
"During one incident, on January 13, 2024, Marty Small, Sr. is alleged to have hit his daughter multiple times in the head with a broom causing her to lose consciousness. Another incident on January 3, 2024, alleged that Marty Small, Sr., during an argument with his daughter, continuously threatened to hurt her by “earth slamming” her down the stairs, grabbing her head and throwing her to the ground, and smacking the weave out of her head. Another incident involved Marty Small, Sr. punching his daughter repeatedly in her legs causing bruising.
"It is alleged that La’Quetta Small, during one incident, punched her daughter multiple times on her chest leaving bruising. Another incident alleged that La’Quetta Small dragged her daughter by her hair then struck her with a belt on her shoulders leaving marks. Another incident alleged that La’Quetta Small punched her daughter in the mouth during an argument."
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline by calling 1-800-799-SAFE (7233), visiting www.thehotline.org or texting LOVEIS to 22522.
An affidavit filed in the spring by the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office says the girl at one point acknowledged making up the accusations against her parents because she was angry they wouldn’t let her go out with friends.
But in many other sections, the affidavit includes detailed claims by the girl that the abuse was real, and it said she photographed bruises she said were inflicted by her parents and sent them to her boyfriend, who shared them with detectives.
The office of Prosecutor William Reynolds cited evidence including recordings of interactions between the girl and her parents; her statements to police, school personnel, a therapist and state child welfare investigators, and messages she sent to friends asking for help, saying she did not feel safe at home.
The Smalls have asserted their innocence, calling the situation a “private family issue.”
Their lawyer, Ed Jacobs, said in the past the mayor and his wife "are completely innocent of any wrongdoing and will ultimately be vindicated.” On Wednesday, Jacobs reiterated that this incident is a private issue between a mom, dad and child and has nothing to do with mayoral misconduct.
Jacobs said that Small is an upstanding citizen and will ultimately be proven innocent of the charges.
It could not immediately be determined if the girl is still living at home with her parents.
Prosecutor's have yet to reveal next steps in the case.
Marty Small continues as mayor of Atlantic City, wife continues to lead city schools
In his first public comments following the allegations of abuse coming to light in April, Marty Small said he would not be distracted from his duties.
“We've all seen news accounts of what's going on with myself personally,” the Democratic mayor said in a speech at the Hard Rock casino. “It's just that: personal.
“But I pledge to each and every one of you, it doesn't change my commitment, number one, to my family, and it doesn't change my commitment here to the great city of Atlantic City,” the mayor said.
Marty Small has kept to the pledge and continued mayoral duties through the summer.
La'Quetta Small continues to serve as the superintendent of Atlantic City Public Schools.
Just last week, the principal of Atlantic City High School was indicted on official misconduct, child endangerment and other charges for allegedly failing to notify child welfare authorities that the Smalls' teenage daughter had been hurt at home by her parents.
The Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office said Thursday, Sept. 12, 2024, that the eight-count indictment against Constance Days-Chapman was made by a grand jury a day earlier.
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