A 37-year-old Citrus County man is facing child abuse charges after he repeatedly slapped an autistic child, deputies say.
Emmanuel Moses, of Beverly Hills, was arrested Tuesday.
Deputies say Moses repeatedly slapped the 12-year-old boy in the face, causing the boy to bruise on the left side of his face and head.
The boy claims Moses slapped him as a form of discipline because he had yelled at another child to get out of his room.
The boy says he was slapped on the head and face between five and 10 times.
The boy was taken for a forensic interview at Jesse's Place where he reportedly told authorities he was warned by Moses if his "attitude did not change he [Moses] would give him a matching right side," an arrest affidavit states.
Moses declined to answer any questions and requested an attorney, deputies say.
A judge released Moses on his own recognizance.
"Mr. Moses is a Florida Pharmacists," said Bill Grant, a defense attorney representing Moses. "He is fully employed as a pharmacist. His beautiful boy child is an autistic child and the allegation that Mr. Moses slapped his son about the face is patently false."
Grant told ABC Action News a judge is allowing Moses to see his children.
