An arrest warrant was issued yesterday for a dentist and his wife accused of the manslaughter of their baby daughter after they failed to return to Bermuda for a court appearance.

But the couple returned to Bermuda on a British Airways flight unhampered by Police.

Amenemhet and Maatkari TaMerry, formerly Dr. Clark and Regina Godwin, were given bail to visit the UK under the condition that they return to Bermuda on September 21 and attend court yesterday.

The couple told The Royal Gazette last night that their return to Bermuda was delayed after the tragic events in the US but they always intended to return and face the criminal charges.

Mrs. TaMerry said: "We were not running. I'll fight for my daughter until the day I die."

"We came back," added Mr. TaMerry. "All this just because we came back today and not on Friday."

He said Police officers inside the terminal spoke to thembriefly and informed them there was a warrant out for their arrest. They were told they should report to Police today, he said, but were then allowed to proceed normally.

Yesterday morning, when the arrest warrant was issued, Crown counsel Wayne Caines told Magistrates' Court the couple had not returned and had made no contact with the court or Police officers handling their case.

Mr. Caines told Magistrate Will Francis that flight manifests from the UK to Bermuda for the next few days were checked and the couple's name did not appear.

They are charged with the manslaughter of their ten-month-old daughter A-Mya between May 1 and March 2, 2001.

Mr. Francis agreed to Mr. Caines' request to revoke the couple's $10,000 bail, issue summons to examine those who had provided like sureties, and ordered the TaMerrys be arrested upon return to Bermuda and remanded in custody until their trial.

But last night, the couple seemed unflustered about the matter and said they would contact Police today as they had been advised.

Mr. Caines told the court: "The defendants went on a British Airways flight to Britain and were due to return on September 21. They have not returned to the Island and have made no arrangements and not contacted the Police officers. They had reporting conditions to the Police station and this is a very serious matter. The Police have looked at the rosters on the planes, and they are not due to return.

"Leaving the jurisdiction was not a breach of their bail conditions, but they were supposed to return on September 21."