Tulsi Gabbard’s older brother has been arrested in Hawaii after police said he allegedly tried to entice children into his Waikīkī hotel room by offering them cash and chewing gum.
Bhakti “Batarti” Gabbard, 55, is accused of approaching multiple children, among them a nine-year-old boy, near a hotel pool in Waikīkī on July 12, according to the Honolulu Police Department.
Witnesses told investigators that Gabbard asked the children for their names, wrote them down in a notebook, then offered money and gum if they would go with him to his room.
The children declined, and Gabbard allegedly left the area. A 42-year-old woman later contacted authorities to report what she described as a “stranger danger” incident.
Gabbard was taken into custody Friday afternoon and charged with second-degree custodial interference. He has not yet entered a plea.
His father, Hawaii state Sen. Mike Gabbard, said the 55-year-old has been experiencing a mental health episode and had been “acting erratically.”
In a statement to KITV, Mike Gabbard said his son had been sleeping on the streets, had given his car to a homeless person and had been using drugs.
The statement added that Gabbard was admitted to a hospital for a psychiatric evaluation under a 72-hour hold while his family and care team assess the next steps.
Bhakti ‘Batarti’ Gabbard, 55, was arrested on Friday afternoon and charged with second-degree custodial interference after he allegedly tried to lure children into a in Waikīkī, Hawaii hotel room using cash and gum. He is pictured with wife Kimberly
The Gabbard family, left to right: Narayan, Vrindavan, Bhakti, Mike, Carol, Tusli and Jai
Gabbard was also arrested for theft on Thursday. He appeared before a court Friday morning and pled not guilty to the charge.
He was released after the hearing and is due back in court on August 14.
No court date has yet been set for his custodial interference charge.
Gabbard has battled mental health issues for many years, but his parents claim he was ‘doing well for the last 10 years,’ Sen Gabbard’s statement said.
His erratic behavior began several days ago ‘as a result of smoking pot,’ the lawmaker and his wife, Carol, claimed.
‘His wife kicked him out of the house, so he’s been sleeping on the streets. He gave away his car to a homeless person; lost his ID and phone and has no money,’ the couple told the news outlet.
‘He’s renamed himself, Batarti, and also Jim Morrison Jr., as he’s having delusions of being a rock star.’
The Daily Mail can reveal that just hours before the alleged hotel incident, Gabbard took to social media to promote his music career.
He urged his followers to have a ‘sneak listen’ of his new sound ‘before it goes viral.’
Gabbard’s parents Mike and Carol claim the 55-year-old is suffering from a mental health episode and that his wife Kimberly (second right) kicked him out of the house
Gabbard’s wife has since filed a petition for a protective order, alleging that she feared for her safety. A family court judge denied the petition on Friday
‘Namaste family,’ he wrote. ‘Super excited about getting into the Sessions recording studio tomorrow to record some life-altering music to offer to the Lord.’
He continued: ‘Aloha and I welcome all of you to join me on this crazy ride Lord Krishna has in store for me. Fame and fortune is imminent, but I intend to use both to help the world discover Bhakti-yoga by using mantras in the choruses of my singles.
‘Look forward to seeing you all soon at one of my shows.’
After Gabbard was released from custody Friday, a family member took him to the emergency room at Queen’s Hospital in Honolulu.
During his intake, he allegedly told the doctor that a blood test would reveal that he had cocaine, ice and pot in his system.
Gabbard’s wife of nearly a decade, Kimberly, has since filed a petition for a protective order, alleging that she feared for her safety.
She claimed that on July 11, the day before the incident at the hotel, that Gabbard was ‘gravely disabled (psychotic break),’ according to a petition reviewed by the Honolulu Star-Advertiser.
Kimberly described how Gabbard was allegedly singing loudly on the main stage at the Ala Moana Center shopping mall, disrupted others and was forced to leave the facility by security.
She said that after the incident she tried to stop him from driving, but he got angry and refused.
A family court judge denied the petition on Friday.
Bhkati, Tulsi, Carol, Mike and Narayan Gabbard pictured together in December last year
His wife also claimed on the court filing that Gabbard was previously diagnosed with bipolar disorder with psychotic features, as well as narcissism.
Mike and Carol Gabbard have five children including Bhkati and former Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard.
The Daily Mail has not received a response to its request for comment from Tulsi or Mike Gabbard. Calls to a phone number associated with Kimberly went unanswered.
The senator, however, told Fox News on Saturday night: ‘We love him, and asked him to follow the protocol at the hospital, which he says he will do.
‘We’re praying for his speedy recovery, and would appreciate the prayers of others.’
