Atlantic City Mayor and Wife Indicted for Allegedly Assaulting Daughter

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. — Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small Sr. and his wife, La’Quetta, who is the city’s superintendent of schools, have been indicted for child endangerment and other related offenses, as revealed by prosecutors on Wednesday.

The indictment was issued by a grand jury on Tuesday, alleging that the couple engaged in repeated instances of abuse towards their teenage daughter. In addition to child endangerment, Marty Small also faces charges of assault and making terroristic threats.

According to prosecutors, the alleged incidents of physical and emotional abuse occurred when their daughter was 15 to 16 years old, specifically during the months of December and January.

In response to the charges, Small expressed frustration, stating, “All people have heard is one side of the story. We look forward to telling our side.” He mentioned that their daughter continues to live at home with them.

Small’s attorney, Ed Jacobs, emphasized that the indictment is unrelated to his client’s position as mayor, asserting, “There’s no charge of corruption or any official misconduct. Marty and La’Quetta Small don’t need the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office meddling into a private family matter.”

Jacobs further defended the couple, claiming that they are responsible parents. “Marty and La’Quetta are a good mom and dad raising a teenage child,” he said, expressing confidence that they will be fully exonerated.

The prosecution detailed an alarming incident that occurred on January 13, 2024, where Marty Small is accused of striking his daughter multiple times on the head with a broom, resulting in her losing consciousness.

Furthermore, on January 3, the indictment alleges that Small argued with his daughter, physically asserting control over her by grabbing her head and forcibly throwing her to the ground. He reportedly threatened to throw her down a flight of stairs and made a comment about “smacking the weave out” of her head during this confrontation.

Prosecutors assert that the 50-year-old mayor also punched his daughter multiple times in the legs, which reportedly left bruising.

La’Quetta Small, aged 47, is accused of several acts of physical abuse toward their daughter as well. Allegations against her include punching her daughter multiple times in the chest, resulting in bruising, and dragging her by the hair while striking her with a belt, leaving visible marks.

Additionally, La’Quetta Small is alleged to have punched her daughter in the mouth during an argument, further showcasing a pattern of violence allegedly occurring in the home.

The recent indictment against the Smalls follows closely behind a related indictment of Constance Days-Chapman, the principal of Atlantic City High School. Days-Chapman faces charges of official misconduct and child endangerment for failing to report the instances of abuse involving the Smalls’ daughter to the appropriate state child welfare authorities as mandated by law and school district policy.

It has been reported that Days-Chapman is a close associate of the Smalls, as La’Quetta Small is her supervisor. The indictment alleges that the girl communicated to Days-Chapman in December about suffering from ongoing headaches, which she attributed to the alleged beatings from her parents.

Despite the alarming disclosures, instead of notifying the authorities, Days-Chapman allegedly informed the Smalls about his daughter’s complaints. Her legal representative has claimed her innocence in these matters.

The situation surrounding the Smalls has raised eyebrows and continued to develop as investigations unfold, with many in the community following the proceedings closely.