Mayor, wife beat teen daughter unconscious with broom: Cops

Marty Small Sr., 50, the mayor of Atlantic City, New Jersey, and his wife, 47-year-old La’Quetta Small, the superintendent of the city’s school system, have been indicted on charges of child abuse involving their teenage daughter.

The Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office announced Wednesday that both are charged with second-degree endangering the welfare of a child. Additionally, Marty faces charges of third-degree terroristic threats and aggravated assault.

The alleged abuse occurred over several incidents between December 2023 and January 2024.

One particularly violent incident on January 13, 2024, is described in the indictment, where Marty allegedly struck his daughter multiple times in the head with a broom, causing her to lose consciousness.

On January 3, 2024, during a separate argument, Marty is accused of threatening to “earth slam” his daughter down the stairs, grabbing her by the head, throwing her to the ground, and threatening to “smack the weave” out of her hair.

La’Quetta is also accused of physically abusing the girl. Prosecutors allege that she repeatedly punched her daughter in the chest, causing bruises, and in another instance, dragged her by her hair before hitting her with a belt on her shoulders, leaving visible marks.

In yet another argument, La’Quetta punched her daughter in the mouth.

An arrest affidavit detailed more of the abuse. Initially, the girl had allegedly fabricated some claims out of frustration that her parents wouldn’t allow her to go out with friends.

However, she later took photos of her injuries and sent them to her boyfriend, who passed them on to prosecutors. The prosecutors also acquired voice recordings of arguments between the girl and her parents, supporting her claims. The affidavit states that the girl expressed feeling unsafe at home.

In response to the allegations, the Smalls’ lawyer has maintained their innocence, stating that the couple will be “completely vindicated.”

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Marty, a Democrat, has been the mayor of Atlantic City since 2019, following 15 years on the city council. His wife, La’Quetta, made history as the first Black woman to serve as superintendent of Atlantic City Schools in 2022, having worked in the district for over two decades.