Atlantic City mayor, wife 'abused, assaulted' their daughter

Marty Small, the mayor of Atlantic City and his wife La'Quetta on Monday were charged with abusing and assaulting their teenage daughter on multiple occasions.

According to NBC News, the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office said it filed charges against both parents of endangering the welfare of a child by hitting her in the head with a broom and knocking her unconscious.

Small was charged with making terroristic threats; aggravated assault, and simple assault while La’Quetta was charged with three separate counts of simple assault.

In a news release, the prosecutor’s office said that "the defendants physically and emotionally abused their 15/16-year-old-daughter on multiple occasions" in December 2023 and January 2024.

According to the release, in one incident, Small allegedly hit his daughter multiple times in the head with a broom, causing her to lose consciousness.

He also is accused of punching her in the legs multiple times, leaving bruises, and threatening to throw her down a staircase and "smack the weave out of her head," the release said.

LaQuetta, Atlantic City's superintendent of schools, is also accused of punching her daughter multiple times in the chest, leaving bruises, and punching her in the mouth during a separate argument. 

According to the prosecutor’s office, she is also accused of dragging her daughter by the hair, and striking her with a belt on her shoulders, leaving marks.