Brother of Tulsi Gabbard Accused of Luring Children in Hawaii

Tulsi Gabbard‘s older brother is currently facing serious criminal charges after authorities in Hawaii reported that he allegedly attempted to entice multiple young children to a hotel room by offering them money and gum.

The Honolulu Police Department reported that 55-year-old Batarti Gabbard, who is the brother of President Trump’s former Director of National Intelligence, was taken into custody on Friday following an incident that occurred on July 12 at a hotel pool in Waikīkī.

According to law enforcement, Gabbard approached several children, including a 9-year-old boy, and allegedly offered them gum and cash in exchange for following him to a nearby hotel room. Reports indicate he also inquired about the children’s names and noted them down in a notebook.

Authorities reported that the children resisted his advances, prompting Gabbard to leave the area. A concerned woman later alerted the police about the incident.

Gabbard now faces charges of second-degree custodial interference.

As reported by KITV, Batarti Gabbard’s father, Hawaii State Senator Mike Gabbard, revealed that his son, who has recently adopted the name Batarti instead of his birth name Bhakti, has experienced mental health challenges. He noted that Batarti had been stable for a decade but has recently begun to show erratic behavior.

Mike Gabbard expressed concern that his son’s behavior deteriorated after he smoked marijuana, leading him to give away his car, misplace his phone and ID, and even start calling himself “Jim Morrison Jr.” as he believed he was channeling a rock star persona.