Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small Sr. and his wife, La’Quetta Small, who serves as the city’s school superintendent, have been indicted on charges related to the physical and emotional abuse of their teenage daughter. The couple is accused of punching, hitting, threatening, and dragging their daughter on multiple occasions between December 2023 and January 2024. Mayor Small is facing charges of endangering the welfare of a child, terroristic threats, and aggravated assault.
The Smalls denied any wrongdoing at a news conference in April and their attorney stated that they will be completely exonerated, emphasizing that the charges are unrelated to the mayor’s duties. A second indictment was also issued against Constance Days-Chapman, the principal of Atlantic City High School, for allegedly failing to report the girl’s abuse allegations to authorities as required by law.
Days-Chapman met with the parents in a car outside their home and did not make the necessary notifications to child protection agencies or law enforcement. The abuse allegations were eventually reported by a non-school entity, leading to the authorities getting involved. The teenager was 15 years old when she first reported the abuse and 16 at the time of the second disclosure.
Mayor Small continues to serve in his position, while La’Quetta Small remains the superintendent of the school district. The charges against the Smalls and Days-Chapman are allegations at this point. The school district did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the situation.
Photo credit
www.usatoday.com