Democratic Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small Sr. and his wife La’Quetta Small were charged Monday with allegedly assaulting their teen daughter, officials confirmed.
In a press statement released by the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office, both Small, 50, and his wife, 47, were charged with second-degree endangering the welfare of a child, as well as each receiving additional separate charges.
The Democratic mayor was additionally hit with third-degree terroristic threats, third-degree aggravated assault and disorderly persons simple assault. Three additional counts of disorderly persons simple assault were added to La’Quetta’s charges, officials stated. (RELATED: ‘Lock Her In The Closet’: Police Arrest Healthcare Workers For Elderly Abuse After Livestream)
“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,” Small’s attorney Ed Jacobs stated in response to the charges, according to The Press of Atlantic City.
Officials claim that between December 2023 and January the Smalls allegedly “physically and emotionally abused” their teen daughter “on multiple occasions.” Three incidents for each parent were included in the press release detailing the abuse allegations.
BREAKING: Atlantic City’s Mayor Marty Small & his wife La’Quetta Small, have both been criminally charged with “physically & emotionally abusing their daughter on multiple occasions.” 1/2 pic.twitter.com/7eVClNuPu7
— Steve Keeley (@KeeleyFox29) April 15, 2024
During one incident Small allegedly hit his daughter multiple times on the head with a broom, which officials claimed caused her to “lose consciousness,” the press release stated. A second incident claimed that Small allegedly threatened to hurt the teen by “earth slamming” her down the stairs, “grabbing her head and throwing her to the ground, and smacking the weave out of her head” while the two were arguing. A third incident alleged Small punched his daughter’s legs “repeatedly” causing bruising, the press release reported.
The three incidents recorded between La’Quetta and her daughter detailed alleged abuse towards the teen. In one instance, La’Quetta allegedly punched the teen multiple times in the chest, leaving her with bruises. Another account claims that La’Quetta allegedly dragged the girl by her hair and “struck her with a belt on her shoulders leaving marks,” according to the press release. While a third incident started La’Quetta allegedly punched the teen in the mouth while the two were arguing.
In January an investigation into the Smalls was launched after their daughter revealed during a mental health exercise at Atlantic City High School that she was allegedly being abused by her parents and wanted to speak to a counselor, according to The Press of Atlantic City. An affidavit showed a therapist met with La’Quetta after speaking to the teen, claiming that she and Small were dealing with issues regarding the teen after she began dating someone they didn’t approve of, the outlet reported.
However, the daughter allegedly recorded the incidents between the couple on cell phones and an iPad which she sent to her boyfriend who later showed the police. On March 28 officials for the Prosecutor’s Office searched the couple’s home. Small later publicly denied the allegations, The Press of Atlantic City stated.
Both Small and his wife are scheduled for court on May 15.