Overview
- On Day 3, a nurse practitioner testified the teen told the ER she fell while running, denied abuse when asked directly, and had no injuries on testing during a January 2024 visit.
- Prosecutors played a voicemail in which Small said he "can’t take this girl no more," warned "she’s gonna get me put in jail," and told his wife to come get their daughter.
- The 17-year-old previously testified that her father hit her with a belt, punched her legs, and struck her with a broom until she passed out, as jurors saw videos, messages, and photos introduced by prosecutors.
- The defense argued she felt safe at home in initial interviews, said she exaggerated parts of her story, and offered an alternate account that any injury came from a fall during a struggle, with testimony suggesting only the broom’s soft bristles made contact.
- Small faces counts of child endangerment, aggravated assault, witness tampering, and terroristic threats, and his wife is scheduled for a separate trial in January.