SOMERSWORTH — The family of a man arrested Monday for willful concealment and child endangerment says he's a "great father" who just got caught in a bad situation.



Matthew Sordiff, 21, of 561 High St., was arrested Monday near the Market Basket on High Street after store managers there confronted him about taking items, including Enfamil baby formula, baby wipes, Half & Half and other items totaling $25.05, off the shelves and putting them into a diaper bag.



A store employee tried to restrain Sordiff just outside the exit to the store, according to the police report, at which time Sordiff removed his three-month-old daughter from a stroller and placed her in a car seat on the ground before fleeing the scene on foot.



Another employee followed Sordiff as he continued south through the shopping plaza but lost sight as he fled toward the rear of the building.



Sordiff and Brianne Baird, the mother of the baby who police report gave Sordiff some items from the store to put in the diaper bag, were both later arrested.



While Baird has since been released, Sordiff remains in Strafford County jail. He was arraigned Tuesday and ordered to be held on $1,000 cash bail.



The child was in the custody of Sordiff's mother, Carla Bickford, but has since been returned to Baird.



Sordiff told police he "panicked" when he was approached about the items in the diaper bag.



During an interview at the residence with Foster's, Sordiff's mother, Carla Bickford, said her son panicked because he was concerned about warrants out for his arrest that he had never taken care of, and left the child in the parking lot because he thought Baird was still in the store.



"My son is a very good father," Bickford said. "Matt got scared and he ran because he thought he had warrants he never took care of."



Bickford said Baird has no criminal record and her son has no record of stealing. The police report on file at Dover District Court reports Sordiff had a prior failure to appear as well as a conviction for strangulation out of Middletown, Conn.



Bickford defended her son Tuesday, expressing concern for his well-being as she said he suffers from psychological disorders for which he needs medication.



A trial date has been scheduled for Oct. 18, at 8:30 a.m. in Dover District Court. Until that time, Sordiff has been ordered to have no unsupervised contact with the child and not to discuss the matter with Baird.