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Batarti Gabbard, the elder sibling of former US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, faces charges for allegedly trying to entice multiple children to a hotel room at a Honolulu resort, according to local police. The Honolulu Police Department reported that the incident occurred around 2 PM local time on July 12 at a hotel pool in Waikīkī.

Authorities stated that the 55-year-old man approached a group of children, including a nine-year-old boy, offering them gum and money in exchange for following him to his room. He reportedly inquired about the children's names and noted them down in a notebook. The children declined his offer, prompting Gabbard to leave the vicinity. A 42-year-old woman later informed the police about the incident.

Gabbard was arrested on Friday and charged with second-degree custodial interference, with police labeling the event as a "stranger danger" situation. His father, Mike Gabbard, a state senator in Hawaii, revealed that his son had recently undergone a mental health crisis. In a statement, he mentioned, "Our oldest son Bhakti has had mental issues in the past but has been doing well for the last 10 years. However, he started acting erratically after smoking pot, leading to his wife asking him to leave their home, and he has since been living on the streets."

Mike Gabbard further explained that his son had given away his car to a homeless individual, lost his identification and phone, and was without money. He has adopted the name Batarti and also refers to himself as Jim Morrison Jr., indicating delusions of being a rock star. Following his erratic behavior, a family member took him to a hospital for a psychological evaluation, where he claimed that drug tests would reveal the presence of cocaine, ice, and marijuana in his system. He was subsequently placed on a 72-hour psychiatric hold at Queen's Hospital.

Authorities noted that Gabbard had also been arrested the previous Thursday in connection with a separate theft investigation. He appeared in court on Friday, where he pleaded not guilty to the theft charge, with a court date set for August 14 regarding that case. A separate court date for the custodial interference charge has yet to be determined.

This incident marks another chapter in the Gabbard family's public scrutiny, especially following Tulsi Gabbard's resignation from Trump's Cabinet in May. Recent reports have highlighted the family's ties to Chris Butler, the 78-year-old leader of an alt-right Hindu sect known as the Science of Identity Foundation (SIF). For years, Mike and Carol Gabbard have been followers of Butler, with the state senator managing Butler's personal affairs at one point. Investigations have revealed numerous communications and documents linking Tulsi Gabbard to Butler's agenda, raising questions about her political actions during her tenure as a congresswoman.