The father of tragic five-year-old Lynae Brown was yesterday charged with her premeditated murder -- a capital offence in Bermuda.

And defence counsel Mark Pettingill told Magistrate Cheryl-Ann Mapp that he would be seeking a psychiatric evaluation of his client.

Damon Quincy DeRoza, 20, made no plea as he was formally charged in a hearing which lasted little more than a minute.

DeRoza, who arrived at court handcuffed to a detective and wearing brown jeans and a brown checked shirt over a T-shirt, appeared vague and detached as the charge were read out.

He was remanded in custody pending another appearance for mention on December 6.

Mr. Pettingill said that he wanted the court to know, as a matter of record, that his client would be seeing a psychiatrist. He explained the court had no power to order a psychiatric report at this stage of the proceedings -- but that he would be seeking one as soon as possible.

Outside the court, the accused's brother Kevin broke down in tears as he signalled support to DeRoza when the Police car transporting the accused pulled out of the court car park. And a woman in her 20s leaned over the roof of a car parked in Parliament Street and sobbed.

DeRoza, of Cedar Hill, Warwick, was brought into court early -- around 8.30 a.m. -- in an unmarked white four-door car .

Only a streetsweeper and a handful of passers by noticed the car as it swept into the Magistrates' Court car park.

Police laid on extra security, including a uniformed Policeman on duty outside the front door of the court until it opened at 9 a.m. for DeRoza's appearance.

A Police spokesman confirmed special security plans had been arranged for the hearing.

He said: "The arrangements worked well and there were no problems at all. But we had sufficient people on duty to deal with any eventuality. We did what we thought was necessary to ensure there were no problems with onlookers.'' After the brief hearing, a uniformed officer stopped traffic at the junction of Reid Street and Court Street before the car sped away against the normal flow of traffic on its way to Westgate Prison.

The court appearance came only three days after little Lynae's body was found floating in Hamilton Harbour.

Two fishermen raised the alarm after seeing the body near Longford Road.

Paramedics and Police battled desperately to revive the little girl as she was rushed to the King Edward Hospital.

She underwent intensive treatment in the hospital's casualty department -- but doctors admitted defeat at 8 p.m. and pronounced her dead.

In the House of Assembly yesterday, Minister of Education and Acting Premier Jerome Dill asked that a letter of condolence should be sent to little Lynae's mother Elaine and the Paget Primary School pupil's grandparents Allen and Meredith Brown, of Tribe Road 1, Warwick.

He also asked that a letter expressing the sympathy of the House be sent to Paget Primary School principal La-Verne Lau.

Mr. Dill said: "I met with the principal and the impression one gets is of a family grieving.

"Paget Primary School is infused with so much love for its children that their loss was felt even more greatly.''