Atlantic City Mayor Charged With Abusing Teenager

Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small Sr. and his spouse have been accused of abusing their teen daughter, leading to a grand jury indictment.

At a Glance

Marty Small Sr. and his wife La’Quetta Small are facing multiple charges, including child endangerment.
The allegations involve physical and emotional abuse of their daughter when she was 15 and 16 years old.
The indictment was returned by a New Jersey grand jury.
Both deny the charges and continue their roles in public office.

Indictment Details and Allegations

An indictment against Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small Sr. and his wife La’Quetta Small was returned by a New Jersey grand jury. The allegations pertain to physical and emotional abuse of their teenage daughter over multiple occasions. Marty Small Sr., in addition to the child endangerment charges, faces counts of aggravated assault and making terroristic threats.

Accusations include Marty Small hitting his daughter with a broom causing her to lose consciousness, as well as punching her legs resulting in bruises. La’Quetta Small is accused of dragging her daughter by her hair and hitting her with a belt. The abuse allegedly took place in late 2023 and early 2024.

Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small Sr., his wife indicted for allegedly beating teen daughter

Both were charged with child endangerment.

Prosecutors said both parents emotionally and physically abused the girl on multiple occasions last winterhttps://t.co/QBul9iHH32

— New York Daily News (@NYDailyNews) September 18, 2024

Reactions and Defense

Marty Small’s lawyer, Ed Jacobs, has asserted that the charges do not relate to Small’s duties as mayor and that no official misconduct is involved. Meanwhile, Small has publicly denied the allegations, emphasizing his intent to clear his name. La’Quetta Small has similarly denied the claims against her, labeling the accusations a “private family matter.”

“All people have heard is one side of the story,” Small said, according to The Associated Press. “We look forward to telling our side.”

Despite the serious charges, Marty Small continues his duties as the mayor of Atlantic City, and La’Quetta Small remains the superintendent of Atlantic City Public Schools.

Ongoing Investigation and Legal Proceedings

The complex case also implicates Constance Days-Chapman, the principal of Atlantic City High School, who was indicted for allegedly failing to report the abuse despite knowing about it. Days-Chapman, a close friend and subordinate of La’Quetta Small, allegedly informed the Smalls instead of reporting the matter to authorities.

“Marty and La’Quetta are a good mom and dad raising a teenage child,” said their attorney. “They are totally innocent and will be totally exonerated.”