A mental health report has been ordered for Alex Fisher's older brother, who was arrested during the search for the Levin schoolboy and has been charged with burglary.
Alex Fisher Photo: Supplied
Eric Baden McIsaac, 25, who is Alex's elder brother, appeared in the Levin District Court this afternoon.
He faces charges including burglary and possession of a knife along with another lower level charge - details of which are suppressed.
Judge Gregory Ross lifted McIsaac's name suppression and he was remanded in custody to reappear in court on 11 November.
McIsaac stood in the dock in court in grey trackpants and a baggy hoddie.
Friends and family of Alex, including one woman who spoke at his vigil on Sunday night, appeared in the public gallery, which was about half full.
Judge Ross told the court the details of the third charge McIsaac faced were suppressed but said it was a lower level charge.
The possession of a knife charge carries a maximum penalty of three years imprisonment.
The body of the 10-year-old was found on the sand dunes of Waitarere Beach last Thursday after a three day search, and a homicide investigation is continuing.
Detective Senior Sergeant Neil Forlong said the Operation Waitarere homicide investigation was continuing.
Photo: RNZ / Alexander Robertson
"On Sunday we announced that we were looking at a burglary which took place at a property in Waitarere. We are working to establish any links between that burglary and the death of Alex Fisher.
"The investigation team remains very focussed on the enquiry and we continue to assess a range of information and forensic evidence."
More than 100 people were involved in the three-day search in Waitarere Forest for Alex after he went missing last week.
Photo: RNZ / Alexander Robertson
A post-mortem revealed he had suffered head trauma.