Authorities in New Jersey on Monday announced they have brought charges against Atlantic City Mayor, Marty Small Sr., and his wife for allegedly subjecting their teen daughter to emotional and physical abuse.
According to NBC Philadelphia, the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office said Small, 50, and his wife La’Quetta Small, 47, have been charged with second-degree endangering the welfare of a child. Small, who is a Democrat, faces other charges including third-degree terroristic threats, third-degree aggravated assault and disorderly persons simple assault.
Small’s wife also faces an additional disorderly persons simple assault charge. The 47-year-old mother is the superintendent of the Atlantic City Public Schools.
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Authorities said the couple between December 2023 and January 2024 repeatedly subjected their teen daughter to emotional and physical abuse, adding that the juvenile was 15 and 16 at the time. Investigators also cited multiple instances where the said incidents occurred.
In one of those instances, investigators allege that Small’s daughter lost consciousness after he repeatedly hit her head with a broom. Small in another incident allegedly threatened to physically assault his daughter by “earth slamming” her down the stairs and causing other forms of harm to her, per NBC Philadelphia. Authorities said he made those threats during an argument. Small’s teen daughter in another incident suffered bruising after her father punched her legs multiple times, authorities said.
La’Quetta Small, on the other hand, is accused of repeatedly punching her daughter’s chest during another incident. The juvenile got bruised as a result, authorities said. Other incidents where La’Quetta Small allegedly attacked her daughter were also cited – including one where she punched the teen in the mouth.
Officers with the Prosecutor’s Office searched the Smalls’ home on March 28, the Press of Atlantic City reported. But the mayor on April 1 denied he and his wife abused their children. Smalls also responded to rumors about his daughter being pregnant.
“Let me confirm an undisputed fact. My daughter is not pregnant, my daughter has never been pregnant,” Small said. “And we happen to have information on individuals who have spread those horrific rumors on my child. You will be getting a visit from Mr. Jacobs [his attorney] soon.”
Ed Jacobs in a statement also said that the allegations brought against his client did not have to do with official misconduct but “on the contrary, they are a focus on private and personal family matters … (regarding) Mayor Small as a dad and La’Quetta Small as a mom raising teenage children.”
“The charges filed today by the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office make no allegations of public corruption or misconduct in office, or of failure by Mayor Small to properly discharge his duties,” Jacobs said.
