Atlantic City’s leadership faces a dark chapter as its mayor and school superintendent are indicted for child abuse and cover-up.
At a Glance
- Mayor Marty Small Sr. and his wife, La’Quetta Small, indicted on child endangerment charges.
- Prosecutors allege severe physical and emotional abuse of their teenage daughter.
- Charges extend to Atlantic City High School’s principal for failing to report the abuse.
- The Smalls deny the allegations, terming them a “private family issue.”
Serious Indictments for Atlantic City Leadership
Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small Sr. and his wife, La’Quetta Small, the city’s school superintendent, have been indicted on multiple charges, including child endangerment, assault, and making terroristic threats. The grand jury issued the indictment on September 17, 2024, which became public the following day. The charges stem from allegations of severe physical and emotional abuse inflicted on their teenage daughter during December 2023 and January 2024.
Marty Small faces additional charges of third-degree terroristic threats and third-degree aggravated assault. Prosecutors have detailed alarming acts of violence where Marty allegedly hit his daughter with a broom until she blacked out and repeatedly punched her in the legs.
Specific accusations against La’Quetta include dragging her daughter by her hair, punching her in the chest and face, and hitting her with a belt. The conflict reportedly stemmed from the parents’ disapproval of their daughter’s boyfriend.
Evidence and Denials from the Accused
Authorities gathered substantial evidence, including recordings, the daughter’s statements to various authorities, and messages she sent to friends. Despite the compelling evidence, Marty and La’Quetta Small deny the allegations. Their lawyer, Ed Jacobs, criticized the indictment as meddling in a private family affair and affirmed their innocence.
“Marty and La’Quetta are a good mom and dad raising a teenage child,” said Jacobs. “They are totally innocent and will be totally exonerated.”
The Smalls continue to serve in their roles; Marty Small remains mayor, and La’Quetta Small continues as the superintendent of Atlantic City Public Schools. The Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office announced the indictment on September 18, 2024. A representative of the school district could not be reached for immediate comment.
Failing in Duty and Accountability
The scandal does not end with the Smalls. Constance Days-Chapman, the principal of Atlantic City High School, has also been indicted for failing to report the abuse. Days-Chapman allegedly informed the Smalls instead of state child welfare authorities after learning of the abuse from their daughter. Her charges include official misconduct, hindering apprehension, and endangering the welfare of a child.
Days-Chapman’s lawyer has also claimed her innocence, but the indictment outlines her failure to fulfill mandatory reporting responsibilities. Authorities learned of the abuse from a non-school entity two days after another incident. Details of the indictment continue to shake the community’s trust in their leaders.
