An Oak Bluffs woman facing a manslaughter charge in connection with the death of a young boy earlier this year was arraigned in Dukes County Superior Court Tuesday.

Aimee Cotton, 40, pleaded not guilty to both manslaughter and reckless endangerment of a child stemming from the death of Frank Rodenbaugh, a two year-old who Ms. Cotton was babysitting. Ms. Cotton is accused of leaving the infant unattended in her SUV for several hours before he died in March.

Judge Maureen Hogan presides over the case.

Ray Ewing

Judge Maureen Hogan presides over the case.

Ray Ewing

Tuesday’s arraignment was brief, lasting only a few minutes. Details of the case were not discussed, and after Ms. Cotton entered her plea, Judge Maureen Hogan kept the bail set by the district court at $23,800.

Ms. Cotton's previous bail was transferred to the new case and she will next appear in court for a pretrial conference on Feb. 18. She has been ordered to stay away and have no contact with the Rodenbaugh family and must also wear a GPS monitoring device as part of her bail conditions.

Harrison Barrow, Ms. Cotton’s attorney, declined to comment on the arraignment while escorting Ms. Cotton out of the courthouse Tuesday. 

Police reported Ms. Cotton was babysitting Frank Rodenbaugh and a one year-old girl in March when she allegedly left him in a carseat for about three hours. Prosecutors said he was later diagnosed with hypothermia before he died at Massachusetts General Hospital after nearly a week in intensive care.

During initial interviews with police, Ms. Cotton said she had only left Frank and the girl inside her car for about 15 minutes before bringing them inside, according to police reports. 

Matthew and Julie Rodenbaugh talk to reporters outside the courthouse.

Ray Ewing

Matthew and Julie Rodenbaugh talk to reporters outside the courthouse.

Ray Ewing

Surveillance footage from a home security camera outside Ms. Cotton’s home showed the children were left in the vehicle unattended for roughly three hours, officers said. 

Ms. Cotton was initially arraigned in Edgartown District Court and was previously released on $21,000 cash bail. At the time, she was told to have no contact with the alleged victim’s family. In April, she was found to have violated her probation for failing to stay away from the Rodenbaugh family, but remained free on her previous bail. 

A Dukes County Grand Jury returned indictments on the manslaughter and child endangerment charges last month.

In a statement following the arraignment, Matt Rodenbaugh, Frank’s father, told the Gazette that his family remains focused on seeking justice and ensuring the full truth is understood. 

“Hearing the details continues to be heartbreaking, and it’s still difficult to comprehend how someone we trusted could allegedly do something so unthinkable,” Mr. Rodenbaugh wrote. 

Aimee Cotton exits the courthouse after her arraignment Tuesday.

Ray Ewing

Aimee Cotton exits the courthouse after her arraignment Tuesday.

Ray Ewing

Mr. Rodenbaugh hopes Frank’s story will help other parents remember to trust, but verify their caretakers. 

The Rodenbaugh family raised more than $270,000 for a new preschool playground at the Oak Bluffs School, where his mom teaches. The playground was opened earlier this year, and Mr. Rodenbaugh said it was one of his son’s favorite places. 

“He was known for his running hugs, shouting ‘Mama!’ or ‘Dada!’ with pure excitement every time he saw us,” Mr. Rodenbaugh wrote. “The playground our community built with help through the Frankie Fund reflects that same spirit – full of laughter, energy and the sound of children playing.”