The Atlantic City High School principal accused of failing to report abuse claims by the daughter of the city's mayor and superintendent has been indicted.
Constance Days-Chapman faces five counts of second-degree official misconduct, one count of second-degree pattern of official misconduct, one count of second-degree endangering the welfare of a child, and one count of third-degree hindering apprehension.
She was first charged in March, the same day Mayor Marty Small's home was searched as part of the investigation.
He and his wife, Superintendent Dr. La'Quetta Small, were charged the next month in connection with the alleged beating of their 16-year-old daughter. Both face second-degree child endangerment charges.
Mayor Small is also charged with terroristic threats, simple assault and an aggravated assault, during which he allegedly struck the girl so hard with a broom that she lost consciousness.
Dr. Small faces three additional charges of simple assault, for allegedly punching the girl on two different occasions, and hitting her with a belt on a third.
The mayor has vehemently denied the charges.
Their case has not yet been presented to a grand jury.
The teen allegedly went to a school employee about her allegations, saying she already had talked to Days-Chapman, who the Small children know as "Aunt Mandy."
It's that close relationship with the Smalls that is the real reason Days-Chapman was charged, her attorney has alleged after her first court appearance.
"It's very clear to me that Ms. Days is collateral damage in all of this," attorney Lee Vartan said in May. "But for her relationship with the mayor and the superintendent, she wouldn't be in this position."
As news of Wednesday's indictment was made public, he continued to deny his client has committed any crime.
"Mandy is innocent of the charges in the indictment," Vartan told BreakingAC. "We provided the Prosecutor’s Office with incontrovertible evidence of her innocence. The prosecutor ignored it; the jury will not."
Days-Chapman has been on paid leave from her position as principal, even as the Board of Education has refused to address either her charges or the superintendent's.
Dr. Small remains in her position.
It was not clear what would happen with Days-Chapman's pay now that she is indicted. Historically, any public employee in Atlantic City is put on unpaid leave post-indictment. But Vartan said he believes her pay is continuing.
