Batarti Gabbard, the older brother of former Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, has been arrested in Hawaii for allegedly trying to lure children to his hotel room.
The 55-year-old was taken into custody Friday following an incident on July 12 at a Waikīkī hotel pool, according to the Honolulu Police Department.
Police say Gabbard approached several children, including a 9-year-old boy, and offered them gum and cash if they would follow him to a nearby hotel room.
He also reportedly asked for their names and wrote them down in a notebook.
The children refused, and Gabbard eventually walked away. A woman later reported the incident to authorities.
Gabbard has been charged with second-degree custodial interference.
His father, Hawaii State Senator Mike Gabbard, told KITV that his son has a history of mental health issues.
He said Batarti had been stable for about a decade but recently began behaving erratically after smoking marijuana.
Mike Gabbard claimed his son gave away his car, lost his phone and ID, and started identifying himself as "Jim Morrison Jr.," believing he was a rock star.
A family member later took Batarti to a hospital for a psychological evaluation, where he was placed on a 72-hour psychiatric hold.
