MACHIAS – A 22-year-old East Machias man entered a not guilty plea Monday in the death of his 2-year-old stepson.

William Bryson, 22, of East Machias is accused of acting negligently in the death of Damon Nason on March 2.

Bryson was arrested March 7 and first appeared in court March 10. A Washington County grand jury indicted him on March 21 and charged him with manslaughter.

Damon Nason was the son of Tawnya Bryson. Two other children were in the Bryson home at the time of the injuries that led to Damon’s death, Jayden Bryson, 1, who is William and Tawnya Bryson’s son, and Lexis Nason, 4.

Assistant Attorney General Leane Zainea appeared in court Monday on behalf of the state. Norman Toffolon of Machias represented Bryson.

Toffolon had no comment after Bryson’s appearance.

An affidavit on file with the court stated that on March 1, Damon Nason was taken to Down East Community Hospital in Machias and then to Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor, where he died the next day.

According to the affidavit, Damon’s mother told police she was at work when she received a text message from her husband that said, “Call me now,” and that Damon had fallen in the bathtub.

When police questioned Bryson, he told them that while Damon was taking a bath, he stepped out of the room, then heard a loud bang. Bryson said he called his parents and then dressed the 2-year-old.

When firefighters from the Cutler Navy Fire Station arrived they found that Damon was not breathing.

According to the affidavit, hospital officials found bruising on Damon’s head which Bryson told police occurred when he had “smacked” the child to try to wake him up.

Bryson remained in Washington County Jail on Monday night.

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