Second Atlantic City High School employee charged with failing to report child abuse

Toria C. Young, 30, is charged with official misconduct and hindering apprehension. She is scheduled to appear in court at 11 a.m. Tuesday.

Young is the second high school employee to be charged in the case. The school’s principal, Constance Days-Chapman, 39, is charged with official misconduct, pattern of official misconduct, endangering the welfare of a child and hindering apprehension.

Days-Chapman, who is on leave with pay, was arraigned Oct. 3 and is due back in court Dec. 5 for a status conference.

It is unclear if Young was also placed on leave, but she is not listed as an employee in the school’s directory. Her salary was listed at $38,320, according to state records.

Young, who was identified as the victim’s cousin, was notified by the victim in January that she was being emotionally and physically abused at home.

In one incident, the victim claimed she was knocked unconscious when Mayor Small and Superintendent La’Quetta Small became physical with her, according to the affidavit of probable cause.

The victim told Young she had bruises on her legs and arms, and Young observed those injuries in early January, but failed to report the abuse to protect the Smalls from being investigated, according to the affidavit.

“The defendant hindered the detection and investigation by failing to report the abuse because it was family and believed the incidents to be punishment rather than abuse,” the affidavit states.

Young was named in the original complaint against the Smalls, but she wasn’t charged until September.

In that complaint, Young told investigators in February the victim was dealing with issues at home due to her parents’ disapproval of her boyfriend, according to court documents.

The Smalls were arraigned Thursday and are due back in court Jan. 16 for a status conference.

Both have denied any wrongdoing. Mayor Small’s attorney, Ed Jacobs, believes his client was only charged because of his status.