ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. — Atlantic City High School Principal Constance Days-Chapman has been indicted for not reporting to New Jersey child welfare authorities claims by the daughter of the mayor that she was being abused by him and her mother.
Prosecutors say that in December, the 15-year-old daughter of Mayor Marty Small Sr. and Dr. La’Quetta Small, who is superintendent of city schools, told Days-Chapman, 39, that she experienced frequent headaches due to her being hit by her parents, reports WHYY. The principal is a close friend of the Smalls and was the campaign manager for the mayor, reports NBC Philadelphia. The mayor’s wife is also Days-Chapman’s boss.
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In January, the Smalls’ daughter told another school employee about the abuse during a mental health training session for students. The teen told the employee that she had previously told Days-Chapman about the abuse.
Authorities say the employee spoke with Days-Chapman about the allegations, but the principal denied she had been told. Days-Chapman insisted to the employee that she would report the girl’s claims. However, instead of reporting the abuse to child welfare authorities, she met with the Smalls in her car outside of their home and told them about their daughter’s allegations.
Authorities say the abuse wasn’t reported until two days later and by someone who wasn’t with the school.
New Jersey law requires school employees to report suspected cases of child abuse.
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Days-Chapman has been charged with second-degree official misconduct, endangering the welfare of a child, hindering apprehension of another, failure to report child abuse, and other charges.
The Smalls were charged in April. Prosecutors claim the mayor hit his daughter multiple times in the head with a broom, causing her to lose consciousness, as well as punching her in the legs and threatening to throw her down the stairs, reports the Associated Press. Dr. Small has been charged with simple assault for allegedly punching her daughter twice and hitting her with a belt, reports BreakingAC.
The Smalls have denied the abuse, and Days-Chapman has pleaded not guilty in the matter.
