Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small, center, speaks at a news conference in Atlantic City, N.J., Monday, April 1, 2024, flanked by his daughter Jada, left, and his attorney Edwin Jacobs, right. (AP Photo/Wayne Parry)
LaQuetta Small, who is Atlantic City's superintendent of schools, is accused of punching her daughter multiple times in the chest, leaving bruises, and punching her in the mouth during a separate argument. LaQuetta Small also is accused of dragging her daughter by the hair, and striking her with a belt on her shoulders, leaving marks, according to the prosecutor's office.
Reached by telephone, Small declined comment, referring a reporter to his lawyer Ed Jacobs. The lawyer did not immediately return a call seeking comment.
The president and vice president of the Atlantic City Board of Education did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment Monday.
Both Smalls were issued summonses with the charges against them.
Earlier this month, Small held a news conference in City Hall to say that a search of his home in late March involved "a private family issue," not a crime.
Small said at the news conference that he and his wife have been interacting with state child welfare authorities and have nothing to hide.
"We’re going through family therapy, and that’s what this should be, a family matter," he said.
A spokesman for the state Division of Child Protection and Permanency, said it cannot publicly discuss its cases to protect the privacy of those involved.
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Small’s wife and two children attended the news conference with him but did not speak, and left before it was completed.
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