Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small and his wife, La’Quetta Small, were charged with endangering the welfare of a child after allegedly physically and emotionally abusing their 15/16-year-old daughter on multiple occasions in December 2023 and January 2024. The charges include Marty Small hitting his daughter in the head with a broom, causing her to lose consciousness, and punching her in the legs, while La’Quetta Small is accused of punching her daughter in the chest and mouth, dragging her by the hair, and striking her with a belt. The charges also include making terroristic threats, aggravated assault, and simple assault.
The Smalls have not commented on the charges, but their lawyer emphasized that the charges do not involve public corruption or any impropriety in Mayor Small’s official duties. The attorney stated that the charges are related to a private family matter and the challenges the couple has faced in raising their teenage daughter. Despite the allegations, the daughter has not been removed from their home, and the attorney confirmed that the family is intact and undergoing family therapy.
The president and vice president of the Atlantic City Board of Education did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the situation involving La’Quetta Small, who is the superintendent of schools in Atlantic City. The Smalls were issued summonses with the charges against them, and the investigation into the alleged abuse is ongoing. Earlier, Mayor Small had held a news conference to address a search of his home in late March, describing it as a private family issue rather than a crime and stating that they have been interacting with state child welfare authorities.
While the state Division of Child Protection and Permanency confirmed their involvement in the case, they cannot publicly discuss specific details to protect the privacy of those involved. At the news conference, attended by Mayor Small, his wife, and two children who did not speak, Small emphasized that they are undergoing family therapy to address the issues in their household. Despite the serious allegations of abuse, their lawyer maintains that the family is working through their challenges and that the daughter remains in their care.
The Atlantic City community and beyond are watching closely as the legal proceedings unfold, awaiting further developments in the case against the Mayor and his wife. The charges of child endangerment and assault have raised concerns about the leadership in the city and the well-being of the Small family. The mayor’s insistence that the charges are a private family matter has not deterred public interest in the case, with many calling for accountability and justice for the alleged abuse suffered by the teenage daughter. As the investigation continues, more details may emerge about the extent of the mistreatment and the impact on the Small family and the Atlantic City community as a whole.
