sight of the tragic five-year-old -- walking with her dad to the candy store.

They told how Lynae, wearing a jean jacket and buttoned up against the cold night air, excitedly left their Warwick home.

It was then 5.45 p.m. on Tuesday, just 75 minutes before her body was pulled from the water off Hamilton Harbour.

"She walked out the yard. She was so happy,'' the grandmother (who did not want to be named) told The Royal Gazette from her home off Tribe Road 1.

The final image of the child -- who often called her grandparents "mommy and daddy'' -- would remain forever etched on the couple's minds.

"She was such a beautiful, beautiful little girl. I can't believe what has happened. "It is like a bad dream. We looked upon Lynae as one of our children. We had raised her all her life,'' said the grandfather, a taxi driver.

It was only meant to have been a brief outing to the candy store -- but as the minutes dragged by the couple became increasingly uneasy.

After half an hour, Lynae's father dashed back on his bike, shouting out that his daughter was missing.

"He kept saying `I can't find Lynae! I can't find Lynae! She got lost','' the grandmother continued.

"My husband ran after him, saying `Oh my Lord, where is she?'' As the grandfather left his home he saw Lynae's father drop his bike and leave the yard on foot, heading towards Lines Liquor Store in Ord Road.

"I ran after him but I think he got on someone's bike and rode off. There were a bunch of guys down by the store,'' he said.

"By that time I reckoned something must be wrong. I went down to Ord Road and asked the fellows there whether they had seen anyone. They told me they had seen the girl's father on a bike.'' He said his daughter called the Police at about 6.30 p.m.

Shortly afterwards the Police told him his grandchild's body had been found in the water near Mizzentop Cottages.

"It was then I realised she must be dead. I knew she couldn't swim and I feared the worst. The Police did not tell me Lynae was dead, but I knew she must have been.'' His fears were brutally confirmed when he had to identify Lynae at King Edward VII Memorial Hospital.

He learned the youngster -- who attended Paget Primary School -- had died despite a frantic bid by Police and ambulance staff to revive her.

It was a shattering moment. And for the first time in the interview the grandfather appeared to be on the verge of breaking down.

Gathering his thoughts and emotions, he recalled: "The doctor came and said everything had been done to save her, but to no avail.

"It is just so devastating. I just can't get to grips with what has happened.

"She was such a beautiful, innocent little child. It's hard to believe she is now dead.'' The grandmother said Lynae always became excited at the prospect of meeting her father.

"She was so looking forward to getting some candies.'' Lynae had been brought home from school on Tuesday by her 11-year-old aunt, Allana.

Last night Allana told of the last time she saw her niece.

"I remember putting her jacket on. It was probably about 5.45 p.m. Lynae's daddy had wanted her kept warm.

"I dressed her in a jean jacket and she went off down to the store.'' She added: "It was only last week I taught Lynae mathematics, how to add up.

"She was a very clever girl. It's so hard to believe what's happened and I won't see her again.

"Lynae loved school and going to Sunday school. She was quite active in the church and use to sing as a soloist.'' The grandparents said they had almost come to see Lynae -- whose parents had split up -- as their child.

They pointed out Lynae's father lived nearby in Warwick, while her mother was currently in Jamaica.

haven't told her what happened,'' said the grandfather.

"I just told her there had been an emergency. She will be flying over to Bermuda.'' The Royal Gazette understands the mother had the child when she was 13, while the father was 15.

The grandparents said Lynae had enrolled at Paget Primary School in September after attending Wee Care Day Care Nursery in Cedar Hill, Warwick and a Government pre-school nursery.