Treasure Coast man arrested for abuse of disabled adult
Byron Pressley, 22, arrested Wednesday morning
A 22-year-old former mental health technician at a Port St. Lucie treatment center is accused of punching a resident in the face.
The fraud control unit of the Florida Attorney General's Office announced Wednesday that Byron Pressley was arrested in Port St. Lucie Wednesday morning in the 2100 block of Grand Drive.
The incident reportedly took place Dec. 19, 2014, at the Treasure Coast Forensic Treatment Center and was captured on video.
According to a report, a resident repeatedly extended his arm to Byron Pressley, who stood in his place and then slapped the resident's arm away.
The report states Byron Pressley became irritated and with a closed fist punched the resident in the face.
His mother, Nora Pressley, said her son would never abuse anyone.
"The way they are portraying him to be, he's not that way. You can ask anybody in the neighborhood how he is they can tell you how he is that's not my son he's never been an abuser and will not be an abuser," said Nora Pressley.
She said her son is a hard worker and was trying to raise his 5-month-old son.
Byron Pressley faces one count of abuse of a disabled person.
WPBF reached out to administrators at the treatment center and a representative said they could not comment. They referred us to their legal department.