Tulsi Gabbard's brother charged for attempting to lure kids in hotel

Batarti Gabbard, the 55-year-old elder brother of former US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, has been officially charged with second-degree custodial interference following a "stranger danger" incident at a resort pool in Waikiki, Honolulu. According to the Honolulu Police Department, the incident took place on July 12 around 2:00 PM when the suspect allegedly approached multiple children, including a nine-year-old boy. Witnesses stated that Gabbard asked the minors for their names, logged them in a notebook, and offered them cash and gum in exchange for accompanying him to his private hotel room.

The children firmly rejected the propositions, causing the suspect to walk away from the pool area before a 42-year-old woman formally reported the encounter to local law enforcement. In a separate legal complication, Gabbard had also been arrested on July 16 in connection with an unrelated theft case. He entered a plea of not guilty to the theft charge on Friday, was subsequently released from active custody, and is legally scheduled to make a mandatory appearance in court on August 14.

Authorities confirmed that Gabbard is no longer in police custody, and a definitive court date for the custodial interference case has not yet been finalized. Responding to international media inquiries, the suspect's father, Hawaii State Senator Mike Gabbard, declined to comment on the specific criminal allegations. However, Senator Gabbard publicly disclosed that his son is actively undergoing medical and psychiatric care, asking the public for prayers and confirming that the family is urging him to closely follow hospital protocols.