ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. — Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small Sr. and his wife were charged Monday with abusing and assaulting their teenage daughter on several occasions, including punching the minor in the mouth and hitting her in the head with a broom.
Both Small, 50, and his wife, La’Quetta Small were charged Monday with endangering the welfare of a child and accused of simple assault, a disorderly persons offense.
The mayor also was charged with terrorist threats and aggravated assault.
Marty Small is accused of striking the girl in the head with a broom until she lost consciousness, according to the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office.
“We have done nothing wrong,” said Marty Small, who said a months-long investigation by the prosecutor’s office was focused on “a family matter.”
Marty Small, his wife, his daughter, and his son attended the news conference.
He did not confirm the student who reported abuse was his daughter, who attends Atlantic City High School.
But the mayor expressed support for Days-Chapman, who is also chair of the Atlantic City Democratic Committee.
NEW ATLANTIC CITY, N. J. — Mayor Marty Small Sr. of Atlantic City. and his spouse were accused on Monday of repeatedly beating and assaulting their teenage daughter, including hitting her in the head with a broom and punching her in the mouth.
In addition to being accused of simple assault, a disorderly persons offense, Small, 50, and his wife La’Quetta Small were charged on Monday with endangering the welfare of a child. The mayor was also accused of aggravated assault and making terrorist threats.
The girl is accused by the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office of being struck in the head by Marty Small with a broom until she passed out. The office further stated that Marty Small had punched the girl and had threatened to harm her “by smacking the weave out of her head, grabbing her head and throwing her down the stairs.”. ****.
La’Quetta Small, the superintendent of schools in Atlantic City, allegedly “dragged her daughter by her hair, then struck her with a belt on her shoulders leaving marks” in addition to punching the girl in the mouth and chest during different incidents, according to a statement released on Monday by the prosecutor’s office.
The girl was allegedly abused between the ages of 15 and 16.
In the wake of the police search of his home on March 28, the mayor held a press conference on April 1 to deny any wrongdoing. “We haven’t done anything wrong,” declared Marty Small, adding that the prosecutor’s office had been looking into “a family matter” for several months. “.
At the press conference was Marty Small, along with his wife, son, and daughter. On Monday, it was impossible to get in touch with The Smalls for comment.
Constance “Mandy” Days-Chapman, the principal of Atlantic City High School, was accused of neglecting to notify the appropriate authorities about a student’s report of abuse in her home, which led to Marty Small’s press conference.
Days-Chapman instead spoke with the student’s parents, according to the prosecutor’s office. The mayor stated during the press conference that Days-Chapman is a close friend and managed Small’s mayoral campaign.
He refrained from confirming that his daughter, an Atlantic City High School student, was the victim of the reported abuse. However, Days-Chapman, who also serves as the chair of the Atlantic City Democratic Committee, has the support of the mayor.
“At the press conference, he stated that you did nothing at all wrong.”.
Parents can contact Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-CHILD or National Parent Helpline at 1-855-427-2736 if they need talk support. You can report child abuse or neglect by getting in touch with your county’s child protective services or law enforcement.
Jim Walsh works as a senior reporter for The Daily Journal, Burlington County Times, and Courier-Post. Email address: Jwalsh@cpsj.com.
