Tulsi Gabbard’s brother charged over child-luring allegation in Waikīkī
Honolulu police say Batarti Gabbard allegedly offered children gum and money to follow him to a hotel room near a Waikīkī pool.
By Georgia Hale · Staff Writer
2 min read
Tulsi Gabbard’s older brother has been arrested in Hawaii after police said he allegedly tried to get children at a Waikīkī hotel pool to follow him to a nearby hotel room.
The Honolulu Police Department said 55-year-old Batarti Gabbard was taken into custody Friday in connection with an incident that police say happened July 12. He has been charged with second-degree custodial interference.
Batarti Gabbard is the brother of Tulsi Gabbard, who served as President Donald Trump’s former director of national intelligence.
Police describe hotel pool allegation
According to Honolulu police, Gabbard approached several children at a hotel pool in Waikīkī, including a 9-year-old boy. Police said he allegedly offered the children gum and cash if they went with him to a nearby hotel room.
Investigators also said Gabbard asked the children for their names and wrote those names in a notebook.
The children refused to go with him, according to police, and Gabbard eventually left the area. Authorities said a woman later reported the incident to police.
No additional details about the children, the hotel or the circumstances of the report were included in the police account cited in local and national reporting.
Father says mental health issues preceded arrest
KITV reported that Gabbard’s father, Hawaii State Senator Mike Gabbard, said his son had previously gone by the birth name Bhakti before using the name Batarti.
Mike Gabbard told KITV that his son has a history of mental health issues. The state senator said Batarti had been stable for roughly 10 years before his behavior recently became erratic.
According to KITV, Mike Gabbard said he believed his son’s behavior worsened after smoking marijuana. He said his son gave away his car, lost his phone and identification, and began calling himself “Jim Morrison Jr.” because he believed he was a rock star.
Mike Gabbard also told KITV that a family member later brought Batarti Gabbard to a hospital for a psychological evaluation. The state senator said his son was placed on a 72-hour psychiatric hold.
Charge remains an allegation
Batarti Gabbard faces a second-degree custodial interference charge, according to police. The charge is based on allegations that have not been proven in court.
The available reports did not include a public response from Batarti Gabbard to the allegation or the charge.
Tulsi Gabbard has not been accused of wrongdoing in connection with the case, according to the reports. The allegations concern her brother and the July 12 incident described by Honolulu police.
This story draws on original reporting from TMZ.