A man from Owls Head who faces a manslaughter charge in the death of a 22-month-old child in Thomaston appeared in court Monday morning.

Aziayh Scott appears in Knox County Superior Court on Monday. He is charged with one count of manslaughter in the death of 22-month-old Quayshawn Wilson. Screenshot from Zoom hearing

Aziayh Scott, 23, is accused of killing Quayshawn Wilson, who was found not breathing on May 29 at the Thomaston Walmart and taken to Pen Bay Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead. The medical examiner’s office ruled the death a homicide and said the cause was blunt force trauma.

Scott made his first appearance before Knox County Superior Court Justice Patrick Larson via Zoom from Knox County Jail. He was arrested last month by Louisiana State Police and the U.S. Marshals Service Maine Violent Offender Task Force in connection to the toddler’s death, according to state police.

Under Maine law, manslaughter means someone either recklessly caused a death, or knowingly caused a death after being provoked under extreme anger or fear.

At his initial hearing Monday, Scott’s bail was set at $250,000 and Larson ordered him to not have contact with one person and all minors under 18 years old. He was not required to enter a plea. A probable cause affidavit that could provide more details about the case was under seal Monday.

Scott’s attorney Chris MacLean said his client denies any involvement in the baby’s death. MacLean said Scott and the mother of the child, Shaneka Washington, are engaged.

“He loved the baby and would never do anything to harm a baby or anyone else,” MacLean wrote in an email Tuesday.

“He is devastated by these charges,” MacLean wrote. “We are still investigating the matter and are not in a position to publicly discuss details or defenses that will be raised, but Aziayh is absolutely not guilty of any crime and we will be fighting this matter with all of our resources and energy.”

He also said Scott is college educated and has no criminal history.

Scott is originally from Louisiana and had moved to Maine recently, where he was living with his girlfriend and the toddler in Owls Head. When detectives visited their home in June, they learned the couple had returned to Louisiana, where Scott was arrested on June 5.

MacLean said he isn’t sure why it took over a month to bring Scott to Maine because he has been “fully cooperative,” did not fight extradition and “has nothing whatsoever to hide.”

He hopes to schedule a bail hearing as soon as possible so Scott can return home to his family in Louisiana, where his mother is a pastor and his father works three jobs, MacLean said.

“There has been an outpouring of community support for Aziayh,” MacLean wrote. “I have received a large packet of letters from members from the community where he is from.”