Amber alert.Parents kidnap own kids/the kids -- Chase and Cole Hakken -- were at their maternal grandmother's home on Shady Shores Drive, one day after an out-of-state judge permanently placed them in her custody. Found in Cuba!!!

Posted: Apr 03, 2013 11:04 AM CDT
Updated: Apr 03, 2013 6:47 PM CDT
By: FOX 13 Staff



TAMPA (FOX 13) -
Detectives in Hillsborough County have issued an Amber alert after a Tampa couple allegedly kidnapped their own children after tying up the kids' grandmother and stealing her car.

According to deputies, the kids -- Chase and Cole Hakken -- were at their maternal grandmother's home on Shady Shores Drive, one day after an out-of-state judge permanently placed them in her custody.

Deputies say Joshua Hakken tied her up around 6:30 Wednesday morning, took the kids, and drove off in the her car, which was later found abandoned. Investigators believe Joshua's wife Sharyn is with them.

It took the grandmother several hours to free herself and call 911.

The state initially issued a missing child alert, then upgraded it to an Amber alert.

Because the children were with them at the time, Louisiana's Department of Children and Family Services granted temporary custody of the kids to their grandmother.

At some point after that, deputies say, Joshua Hakken showed up at the foster care facility waving a gun and beating on the front door. He fled the scene without his children when he could not get in.

Tuesday, a Louisiana court awarded full custody of the children to Sharyn Hakken's mother, apparently prompting the couple into action.

"We still have unanswered questions from the events in Louisiana prior to today's events here in Hillsborough County," a Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office release stated this afternoon. "We are working closely with the FBI and government officials in the state of Louisiana to attempt to obtain a better picture of the history of this family and the circumstances which lead to the removal of the children from their parent custody and ultimately the terminations of all parental rights."

Neighbors said they saw the police activity and never could have imagined this type of violent abduction happening in their community.

"Very shocking because you don't hear about things like this happening in the neighborhood or in the community. It's always something you see on the news in another state or somewhere else, not just a few doors down," said Ashley Roberts. "[I've been thinking about it] throughout the whole day, just that the children are returned safely and hopefully this turns out for the best for everybody and they're returned."

Investigators aren't sure where Joshua, Sharyn, and the kids may be heading. This evening, crime scene investigators arrived at the Hakkens' Sterling Avenue home, presumably to search for any clues.

Deputies say they the couple should be considered armed and dangerous.

They may be in a 2006 Black GMC pickup with the Florida tag U95KT. A camper initially mentioned in the investigation is not involved, deputies said.

Deputies say Joshua Hakken is officially wanted on the following counts:

Kidnapping - 2 counts
Interference in Child Custody - 2 counts
Child Neglect - 2 counts
False Imprisonment -1 count
Burglary with a Battery - 1 count
Grand Theft Auto - 1 count

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MUST SEE Video!!

AMBER ALERT: Chase and Cole Hakken, kidnapped by their parents, Joshua and Sharyn Hakken
5:27 PM, Apr 3, 2013

Tampa, Florida -- An Amber Alert was issued after Hillsborough deputies say two young children were abducted by their own parents.

According to deputies, 2-year-old Chase and 4-year-old Cole Hakken were staying at their grandmother's home off the 14000 block of Shady Shores Drive when their father, Joshua Hakken, showed up around 6:00 Wednesday morning.

Investigators say Joshua tied up his mother-in-law, woke his two kids and took off with them in the grandmother's 2009 silver Toyota Camry.

According to deputies, the children's grandparents were given custody of the children on Tuesday after the mother and father, Joshua and Sharyn Hakken, had their parental rights terminated.

Detectives say they have since found grandmother's stolen Camry abandoned several blocks from her home. They believe Joshua ditched the Camry and got into his own vehicle, a 2006 black GMC Sierra pick-up truck.

Joshua and Sharyn are reportedly anti-government, and attempted a previous abduction at gunpoint in Louisiana.

Though detectives say they are still working with the FBI and Louisiana state officials to gain a better understanding of the family's history, their investigation has revealed some new details.

Back on June 17 of 2012, Joshua Hakken was arrested in a Louisiana hotel on multiple drug charges, after attending some type of anti-government rally.

Officials say at some point after the arrest, the State of Louisiana took custody of both children and temporarily placed them in a foster care facility.

Joshua reportedly paid a violent visit to the facility; officials say he showed up waving a gun, and then banged on the door before he left because he could not get in.

The Hakkens were told on Tuesday that the State of Louisiana had terminated their parental rights and turned the children over to the grandparents. The kidnapping occurred just one day later.

The children are described as follows:

Chase Hakken, 2-years-old:

3'
33lbs
Brown hair
Brown eyes
Last seen wearing: unknown color of pajamas
Cole Hakken, 4-years-old:

3' 9"
44lbs
Brown hair
Brown eyes
Last seen wearing: unknown color of pajamas
Hillsborough deputies have issued arrest warrants for Joshua for kidnapping, interference in child custody, child neglect, false imprisonment, burglary with battery and grand theft auto.

Anyone with any information regarding the location of these children are asked to immediately dial 9-1-1 or call the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office at 813-247-8200. Both parents are considered armed and dangerous.

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ATTENTION "LIGHTS"... FLORIDA AMBER ALERT... ALERT IS NOW EXTENDED TO GEORGIA .ALABAMA, Louisiana, and now Tennessee!

UPDATE...The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is issuing a statewide AMBER Alert for the Florida Department of Law Enforcement for four year old Cole Hakken and two year old Chase Hakken. The children were kidnapped from their custodial maternal grandmother in Tampa, Florida on April 3, 2013. They are possibly with their biological parents, Sharyn and Joshua Hakken. The parents are believed to be armed and dangerous and may be traveling in a 2006, black GMC Sierra, Florida license number U95KT. The vehicle may have been seen in the area of Highway 30 and Highway 411 in Etowah, Tennessee last night around 8 p.m. EST. If you have seen this vehicle or the children, you are urged to call the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation at 1-800-TBI-FIND or the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office at 813-247-8200.

TAMPA - UPDATE: An Amber Alert was issued by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement around 1:15 p.m. Wednesday for the two missing children.
Full story:
A grandmother was tied up at a Tampa home Wednesday morning and the two children in her possession were taken by their parents in what investigators are calling a parental abduction/kidnapping. The parents are considered armed and dangerous.

Investigators say Joshua Michael Hakken, 35, and Sharyn Hakken, 34, entered the home of Patricia Hauser at 14040 Shady Shores Drive around 6:30 a.m. Hauser is the maternal grandmother of Chase Hakken, 2, and Cole Hakken, 4.

Joshua Hakken tied up Hauser, took the children and fled in Hauser's 2009 silver Toyota Camry. Detectives believe the children could possibly be in a black 2006 GMC Sierra registered to Hakken. The truck, with Florida tag number U95KT, may be pulling a 2012 Forrest River pop-up camper.

According to a sheriff's statement, "Both suspects are anti-government and have attempted a previous abduction at gun point in Louisiana."

Chase Hakken is described as 3', 33 lbs., brown hair and brown eyes last seen wearing pajamas of an unknown color.

Cole Hakken is described as 3' 9", 44 lbs., brown hair and brown eyes, also wearing pajamas of an unknown color.

Anyone with any information is asked to immediately dial 9-1-1 or call the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office at 247-8200.


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The case that led to the termination of their parental rights started with a drug arrest at a Slidell motel in June of 2012. Slidell police say they were called to investigate a disturbance involving the couple. Police called in the Office of Child Services because they were alarmed by what they describe as "bizarre" behavior and comments.
Officers say the Hakkens were talking about "completing their ultimate journey" and claimed they were traveling across the country "to take a journey to the Armageddon."
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I don't like the way that sounds Armageddon "The End Of The World"

Late Thursday, detectives got a break when the couple's 2006 black GMC Sierra pickup was found at the John's Pass parking garage at 12901 Gulf Blvd. in Madeira Beach. Technicians scoured the truck for clues, but the parents and the boys were nowhere to be found.
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Tampa, FL -- The search continues for a Tampa couple accused of kidnapping their non-custodial kids.

Joshua and Sharyn Hakken could be just about anywhere by now, say investigators, but they are getting a lot of tips after a nationwide Amber Alert was issued and images started appearing on Billboards from here to California.

On Thursday, the children's grandmother -- who was tied up before the boys were taken from her Wednesday morning --was expected to speak. But at the last minute, officials decided the time wasn't right.

The Hillsborough County Sheriff's office did, however, release a portion of the 911 call that was made.

Patricia Hauser tells the dispatcher her son-in-law Joshua Hakken has just tied her up and kidnapped his two sons, 4-year-old Chase and 2-year-old Cole.

"He's not supposed to be near them. He's been missing for nine months," she tells them.

"He tied me up. I was able to remove myself with a pair of scissors, but they've been gone about a half an hour."

Sources tell 10 News Hakken was not armed at the time of the kidnapping.

They're still searching for his 2006 Black Sierra pick-up, Florida license U95KT, and say it could be anywhere by now.

As survivalists, he and his wife Sharyn could be at a remote camp site, or perhaps heading toward sympathizers in California.

Col. Donna Lusczynski with the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office say the concern right now is for the well-being of the children and spreading word of their abduction.

"We're working on getting information about the children onto billboards across the southeast and southwest portions of the country," said Lusczynski.

Investigators are also releasing more details which explain their concern for the boys.

While they do not believe the children are in immediate danger, sources describe the Kakkens as armed survivalists who've spoken about "Armageddon."

Last June, heading to the west coast with the boys they got into trouble in Slidell, Louisiana. It was there that their troubles started to snowball.

Police in Louisiana say the Hakkens were attending an anti-government rally, and were later arrested for creating a disturbance at their hotel.

In their room police found drugs, weapons, and the two boys.

The couple also alarmed authorities, telling them about "completing their ultimate journey" and taking a "journey to Armageddon" - somewhere in California.

The children were placed in temporary foster care, but it got even more serious when Joshua showed up at the foster home "with a firearm demanding the return of his children," said the report.

The boys were soon thereafter placed with their grandmother in Tampa, and for the next nine months, they did not see their parents.

Fast forward to this past Tuesday when, after months of legal wrangling, officials in Louisiana stripped the couple of their parental rights.

The next day the Hakkens took the kids.

"They probably didn't agree with that decision and unfortunately it may have been a misjudgment on their part," said FBI Special Agent Dave Couvertier.

"What we're hoping for right now is - we don't expect or anticipate - them hurting the children."

But the talk of a journey to Armageddon coupled with the drugs, Joshua Hakken's violent outburst in Louisiana, and now the kidnapping, that has officials worried.

It's not about the couple's anti-government sentiments, they insist.

"Individual beliefs, that's fine. It's our constitutional right that you can believe in whatever you want to believe in. It's the manner in which the kids were taken that concerns law enforcement and the reason we're taking the steps we're taking," said Couvertier.

Tips have been coming in from all over. At one point Thursday there was a flurry of activity in Tennessee.

But so far nothing has panned out.
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This is all over the news here. Thanks for all the updates, Raine. So happy the Amber Alert is all the way to California. Looks like they've traded vehicles..maybe they stole one..or hopped on a bus. I know they w/be eventually caught but hope the kids are unharmed. I worry for them both physically and emotionally. I think the parents are nut jobs.

The Hakken family is likely on a sailboat, deputies announced Friday.

Witnesses reported seeing Joshua and Sharyn Hakken buy a 25-foot-long sailboat Wednesday morning shortly after, authorities say, Joshua Hakken kidnapped his two young sons from his mother-in-law's house north of Tampa.
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TAMPA — It's a 25-foot sailboat in 600,000 square miles of the Gulf of Mexico traveling in a body of water with more than 3,500 miles of coastline — 16,000 miles in the U.S. alone if bays and inland waterways are included.

Authorities say it's a remarkably good place to hide.
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This is ALL over the news here. I can't believe they haven't been caught.

The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office has received information that the Hakken family has arrived in Cuba. The sheriff's office is working with the FBI and the U.S. State Department to verify the report.

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By boat
There are no regular ferries or boats to Cuba from foreign ports, although some cruise liners do visit. Yachters are expected to anchor at the public marinas. Also, most ports are closed and tourists are not permitted to walk around them. Private vessels may enter at Marina Hemingway in Havana or Marina Acua in Varadero. Entry requires a U.S. passport, but there are no visa requirements.

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From Patrick Oppmann, CNN
updated 12:15 PM EDT, Tue April 9, 2013

Havana, Cuba (CNN) -- Just as authorities suspected, a couple accused of kidnapping their own children sailed to Cuba, where they are hunkered down inside their boat at a Havana marina.
Josh and Sharyn Hakken of Louisiana had lost custody of their two boys, whose grandmother was given legal custody. U.S. authorities have been on a manhunt for the Hakkens after the boys were snatched from the grandmother's Florida home last week.
One of the few clues officials revealed was about a sailboat with the name Salty that the family may have used to flee to Cuba.
On Tuesday, CNN spotted the sailboat at the Hemingway Marina in Havana.
A man on board identified himself to CNN as Josh Hakken, but declined to answer questions. Cuban security at the scene asked a CNN reported to leave.
Fla. Rep.: Castro gives criminals refuge Search for kidnapped kids leads to Cuba
The man, who fit Hakken's description, was with a woman who fits the description of his wife. A child was seen playing in the back of the blue sailboat.
The family survived a treacherous journey on rough seas to get to Cuba.
Authorities believe Josh Hakken abducted his sons Chase, 2, and Cole, 4, early Wednesday after breaking into the Florida home of the children's grandmother and tying her up.
The U.S. Interest Section in Havana "is aware of this case and is in contact with local authorities to get more information," a State Department official in Washington told CNN Tuesday. The official would not comment further, citing "privacy considerations."
But a source close to the search told CNN that Cuban officials are cooperating with U.S. authorities in the case. The source declined to be named because of the sensitivity of the matter.
Some worry that recovering the children will be difficult.
"Unfortunately, these parents and these poor children, these innocent ones, will now be in a country where there are no laws, there is no redress, and that has been a refuge for fugitives and wanted criminals for many years," Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, R- Florida, told CNN.
In Havana, Lynn Roche, an official with the U.S. Interest Section, said section officials couldn't discuss any case of an American who hasn't signed a privacy act waiver.
And an official with the Cuban Foreign Ministry said Monday evening that his agency was unaware of the case and had not received any requests for help from U.S. officials.
The boys had been removed from the care of the Hakkens, last year, and on April 2, the couple's parental rights were terminated in Louisiana, investigators say.
The abduction report triggered an Amber Alert for the children, but there were no reported sightings.
Josh Hakken, described as an anti-government protester, was believed to be armed, according to the Hillsborough County sheriff's office in Tampa, the site of last week's alleged abduction.
There is no extradition treaty between Cuba and the United States, although there have been recent cases in which Americans sought for crimes in the United States and discovered in Havana have been sent back by the Cubans.
The FBI currently estimates there are around 70 fugitives from U.S. justice in Cuba, which is one of the reasons Cuba remains on the U.S. list of countries that support state terrorism. Most of the American fugitives in Cuba have been there for decades and have ties to revolutionary movements or radical groups.
Last week, the police department in Slidell, Louisiana, issued its own statement offering background on the Hakkens and why the boys were taken from the parents last year.
In June of 2012, Slidell police responded to a disturbance report at a hotel where Josh and Sharyn Hakken were staying with their sons, the police statement said.
"When police arrived, both Mr. and Mrs. Hakken were acting in a bizarre manner that alarmed officers. They were talking about 'completing their ultimate journey' and were traveling across the country to 'take a journey to the Armageddon'," the Slidell police statement said, adding, "Let it be noted that both of their children were present in the hotel room at the time."
Because of the parents' behavior and "the fact that narcotics and weapons were located inside of the hotel room," the children were taken by child welfare officers, and Joshua Hakken was arrested on drug charges, the statement said.
"Approximately two weeks later, Slidell Police were notified that Mr. Hakken had shown up to the foster family home ... with a firearm demanding the return of his children," the Slidell police statement continued. "The foster parents called 911, and Mr. Hakken fled without his children. We have heard nothing until (Wednesday)."
At some point over the past few months, the children were sent to Tampa to live with their grandmother, Patricia Hauser, the mother of Sharyn Hakken.
"Somehow they found out where the kids were," said Detective Larry McKinnon of the Hillsborough County sheriff's office.
Sheriff's investigators say Josh Hakken entered Hauser's home at 6:30 a.m. last Wednesday. She told police that he tied her up and fled with the children in her silver 2009 Toyota Camry. That vehicle was found later that day just a couple of blocks away from the home.
Those investigators told CNN they believe Hakken joined up with his wife, who was waiting in their pickup truck, and the family drove to a parking garage. A short time later, investigators said, Hakken is believed to have taken a sailboat out of a private slip in nearby Madeira Beach.
Surveillance images showed the boat sailing into the Gulf of Mexico about three and a half hours after the boys disappeared from their grandmother's home, investigators said, adding that the photos showed adults and children onboard.

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video above link.

Joshua Hakken Located In Cuba By CNN Reporter, Says He's Father Wanted For Abducting 2 Sons
Posted: 04/09/2013 12:27 pm EDT | Updated: 04/09/2013 12:27 pm EDT

A CNN reporter claims to have located and talked to the man wanted for abducting two children and sailing them to Cuba.

Reporter Patrick Oppmann says he found suspect Joshua Hakken at a Havana marina and confirmed that he was the father of 4-year-old Cole and 2-year-old Chase Hakken, who arrived in Cuba on Monday.

Joshua Hakken wouldn't answer any questions, and Cuban security reportedly told Oppmann to leave. But Oppmann also claims he saw a child on Hakken's boat, as well as a woman matching the description of Hakken's wife.

Authorities allege that Hakken entered his mother-in-law's home in Tampa, Fla. on Wednesday, tied her up and left with Cole and Chase. From there the family took the treacherous journey from Florida to Cuba.

The boys had been living with Hakken's mother-in-law since last year after Hakken lost custody of them due to drug possession charges. Police say he tried to abduct them before, by taking them from a foster home at gunpoint.

It's yet unclear what, if anything, authorities can do to retrieve the family from Cuba. The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office and FBI are investigating.

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CNN has confirmed that the Tampa family that has been the subject of an Amber Alert for almost a week is in Cuba.

By Erin Maloney , Reporter
Last Updated: Tuesday, April 09, 2013, 5:04 PM

TAMPA --
CNN has confirmed that the Tampa family that has been the subject of an Amber Alert for almost a week is in Cuba and Cuba officials say it will turn over the family to the U.S.

According to CNN, the Hakkens' boat was seen at a Havana marina. The confirmation comes after the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office said information was received on Monday indicating the family arrived in Cuba via their sailboat.

An Amber Alert was issued April 3 for 4-year-old Cole Hakken and 2-year-old Chase Hakken after authorities say their father, 35-year-old Joshua Michael Hakken, entered his mother-in-law's house in north Tampa, tied her up and left with the children last Wednesday. The children's mother, 34-year-old Sharyn Patricia Hakken, is believed to be with them.

Late last week, officials discovered that Joshua Hakken recently purchased a sailboat and at least one witness remembered seeing the family sail out of John's Pass towards the Gulf of Mexico.

Now, officials are saying the series of events appear to be a well-planned parental-child abduction as the Hakkens managed to stay a step ahead of authorities and may have made it to foreign soil. Authorities say it may be difficult for the U.S. to extradite them.

The sheriff's office can't answer many more questions because the FBI and US State Department are now involved.

Cuba/US history
Cuba has no international or bilateral treaties in place with the U.S. dealing with parental-child abduction.

Also, the state department says Cuba does not participate in the Hague Convention, which is an agreement between some 70 countries to return U.S. children that have been abducted.

And, Cuba does not recognize U.S. court orders. That means even though the U.S. took child custody away from the Hakkens, in Cuba officials eyes, Joshua and Sharyn Hakken are still the boys' parents.

Ralph Fernandez, an immigration attorney, said there's no simple way to get the family back on U.S. soil.

“It’s not an easy process because you're not dealing with a country that follows the law. And you're dealing with a country, a rogue state,” Fernandez said. “We can't force them to do anything. There's no extradition. Cuba does not promote extradition of anyone. As a matter of fact it harbors fugitives, indictees and terrorists and continues to do so.”

Fernandez said fugitives across the country know this and travel to the same marina for refuge. Something, investigators say, Joshua Hakken could be banking on as U.S. agents try their best to get the family back to Florida.

Father purchased sailboat
On Friday, authorities said they've obtained information that Joshua Hakken recently purchased a sailboat.

At least one witness said the 25-foot boat was spotted going underneath the John’s Pass Bridge last week.

The sheriff's office says Hakken has sailed before.

"I don't want to say extensive, but we do know he has some sailing training and some sailing experience, so he is capable of operating that boat,” said Det. McKinnon.

The boat is described as a 1972 Morgan 25M (25 foot) sailboat, blue bimini top, white mainsail, boat deck and cabin are white, hull is blue with “Salty” and a paw print in white on both sides with a white stripe near water line, bearing Flo.

More details on the children
Chase Hakken is 3 feet tall, weighs 33 pounds, has brown hair and brown eyes. He was last seen wearing pajamas. Cole Hakken is 3 feet 9 inches tall, weighs 44 pounds, has brown hair and brown eyes. He was also last seen wearing pajamas.

Deputies spent Wednesday afternoon and evening at the parents' home, searching for any clues that might indicate where they would go. Detectives said the parents should be considered armed and dangerous.

Anyone with any information is asked to call 911 or to call the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office at (813) 247-8200.

SUV located
On Thursday evening, officials located the vehicle they believe the boys were traveling in with their parents. The 2006 GMC pickup truck belonging to the family was located in the John's Pass Parking Garage located at 12901 Gulf Blvd in Madeira Beach.

Officials said the vehicle was located after receiving a tip.

The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office, which set up a command post at its Falkenburg Road office to receive calls and tips regarding the case, said it is following numerous leads. The Amber Alert has been modified to include only states that border along the Gulf of Mexico.

Timeline of events in the case
April 9 - CNN confirms Tampa family that has been the subject of an Amber Alert for almost a week is in Cuba.
April 8 - Search for missing family enters Day 6. Deputies receive dozens of tips over the weekend about potential sightings on the water but none pan out.
April 7 - Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office, FWC and other agencies, including the FBI, continue to aid in the search for the family.
April 6 - The Amber Alert issued for the boys modified to include only states that border along the Gulf of Mexico.
April 6 - Florida Fish and Wildlife officers begin extensive search offshore from Pensacola to the Florida Keys.
April 5 - At least one witness said the 25-foot boat was spotted going underneath the John’s Pass Bridge.
April 5 - Detectives release information that Joshua Hakken had recently bought a sailboat. Boat is described as a 1972 Morgan 25M (25 foot) sailboat, blue bimini top, white mainsail, boat deck and cabin are white, hull is blue with “Salty” and a paw print in white on both sides with a white stripe near water line, bearing Flo.
April 4 - Official locate the vehicle they believe the boys were traveling in with their parents. The 2006 GMC pickup truck belonging to the family was located in the John's Pass Parking Garage located at 12901 Gulf Blvd in Madeira Beach.
April 3 - An Amber Alert is issued for the boys at 1:30 p.m.
April 3 (morning) - Police say Joshua Michael Hakken, 35, father of Cole Hakken, 4, and Chase Hakken, 2, kidnapped the boys from theor grandmothers home in north Tampa. Officials say the Joshua Hakken tied up his mother-in-law before taking the boys.

Previous attempt to take the children, officials say
According to authorities, Hakken was previously involved in an attempted armed abduction of their children in Louisiana.

Officials said they have so far been able to determine that Joshua Hakken was arrested in a hotel on multiple drug charges in St. Tammany Parrish, Louisiana, where he had just attended some type of anti-government rally.

Slidell police say were called to the hotel in June in reference to a disturbance involving Mr. and Mrs. Hakken. Police say when they arrived the parents were acting in a bizarre manner that alarmed officers.

Police say they were talking about “completing their ultimate journey” and were traveling across the country to “take a journey to the Armageddon.” Police say both of the children were present in the hotel at the time.

Police say based on the parents’ behavior and the fact narcotics and weapons were inside the hotel room, officers called the Office of Child Services, who determined the children were in danger and needed to be taken into custody and temporarily placed in a foster home.

"This is not really about anti-government at this point," said David Couvertier, FBI. "Individual beliefs, people in our country should believe in whatever you want to believe in. It's the manner in which the kids have been taken is what concerns law enforcement and the reason we've taken the steps we have taken."

Joshua Hakken was placed under arrest and charged with possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, and the use of a controlled and dangerous substance in the presence of minors. Officers also took custody of the guns.

Two weeks later, police say they were notified Joshua Hakken had shown up at the foster family home with a firearm demanding the return of his children. The foster parents called 911 and police say Hakken fled without his children.

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Cuba will turn over to the U.S. a fugitive couple and their allegedly abducted children, Cuba's government says.
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Just the above came in as breaking news from CNN.

Cuba will turn over members of the Hakken family -- including Josh Hakken and his wife, Sharyn, who allegedly snatched their two boys from their grandmother's home in Florida, Cuba's government said.
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The boys' grandfather spoke at a press conference late Tuesday night, saying they had the opportunity to speak to the children before they left Cuba.

By Erin Maloney/Cheryl Glassford, Team Coverage
Last Updated: Wednesday, April 10, 2013, 1:54 AM

TAMPA --
U.S. authorities traveled to Cuba late Tuesday night and picked up the Tampa family that has been the subject of an Amber Alert for almost a week. The plane arrived back in the U.S. after 1 a.m. Wednesday.

Cuba turned over to the U.S. Joshua Hakken, his wife Sharyn and their two young boys Tuesday after the family was spotted alongside their boat, Salty, docked at Havana's Hemingway Marina.

An Amber Alert was issued April 3 for 4-year-old Cole Hakken and 2-year-old Chase Hakken after authorities say their father, 35-year-old Joshua Hakken, entered his mother-in-law's house in north Tampa, tied her up and left with the children last Wednesday. The children's mother, 34-year-old Sharyn Hakken, was with them.

At a press conference late Tuesday night, Hillsborough County Sheriff David Gee said the boys are "doing well." He said they will be returned to their grandparents. Also in custody: the family dog.

“He’s being returned with the children; a terrier of some type," said Sheriff Gee.

The boys' grandfather spoke at the press conference, saying they had the opportunity to speak to the boys before they left Cuba.

"Right now we’re just looking forward to getting them in our arms and hugging them and getting them home where they’ll be safe again," said Bob Hauser, who thanked all the U.S. agencies involved in the case as well as the Cuban government. He also asked for privacy.

FBI spokesperson David Couvertier said the U.S. State Dept. received information the family was in Cuba. He said they are still investigating how long the family was in the country.

Sheriff Gee said the parents will be booked into the Hillsborough County Jail on numerous charges.

Gee said there is a federal charge for unlawful flight to avoid prosecution. Joshua Hakken also faces the following state charges: kidnapping, interference with child custody, child neglect, false imprisonment, burglary, including a battery and grand theft auto. Sharyn Hakken faces kidnapping, interference with child custody, and child neglect charges.

Late last week, officials discovered that Joshua Hakken recently purchased a sailboat and at least one witness remembered seeing the family sail out of John's Pass towards the Gulf of Mexico.

snipped:
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TAMPA, Florida -- Joshua and Sharyn Hakken are expected to appear before a judge on Thursday morning at 8:30 a.m. follow the alleged kidnapping of their children and escape to Cuba.

At that time, the full list of charges they face will be read in detail and a judge will decide whether they will be released on bond.

The couple faces charges of kidnapping, interference in child custody, child neglect, false imprisonment, burglary with a battery, and grand theft.

Bail was set for Joshua Hakken at $154,000, but a hold was place on him, so he remains in the Orient Road Jail. Sharyn Hakken was not granted bail, but that could be reversed when both appear before the judge tomorrow morning.

Chase, 2, and Cole, 4, are currently in their grandparents' custody.

Patricia and Robert Hauser will hold a press conference to give an update at 11 a.m. Thursday outside their home on Shady Shore Drive in Tampa.
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Check out those eyes!

(CBS/AP) TAMPA, Fla. - Joshua and Sharyn Hakken, the Florida parents charged with kidnapping their young sons and fleeing to Cuba by sailboat after losing custody, were denied bond Thursday.

At their first court appearance in Tampa, Judge Walter Heinrich also ordered them to have no contact with any of the victims or witnesses in the case, including their children.
They'll face a judge during a pretrial detention hearing on Monday on charges of kidnapping, child neglect, false imprisonment, burglary and interference with custody. Judge Walter Heinrich told the couple that they could be ordered to remain in jail without bond until their cases are resolved, depending on the evidence presented at Monday's hearing.

Monday's hearing was requested by special prosecutor Jennifer Johnson, who declined to comment after the hearing on why she asked for it. The Hakkens are being represented by the public defender's office, which has also declined comment.

Four-year-old Cole and 2-year-old Chase are now with their maternal grandparents, Bob and Patricia Hauser, who have legal custody. Police say that on April 3, Joshua Hakken broke into the couple's home, tied up his mother-in-law, took the children and eventually set sail for Cuba. Federal, state and local authorities searched by air and sea for the sailboat Hakken had recently purchased. They were found in Cuba, thanks to a tip from the person who sold the boat to Hakken.
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TAMPA --
Joshua and Sharyn Hakken, who are accused of kidnapping their young sons and sailing to Cuba with them, will have a pretrail detention hearing on Friday morning.

The Hakkens face charges of kidnapping, child neglect and interfering with child custody. They will appear before Hillsborough Circuit Judge Chet Tharpe Friday at 10:30 a.m. The Hakkens will be represented by a public defender.

They are currently being held without bond.

"If in fact (prosecutors) present the proper evidence, you can be held without bond for the duration of your case," Circuit Judge Walter Heinrich told the Hakkens in court Thursday morning.

Joshua and Sharyn Hakken, who are accused of kidnapping their young sons and sailing to Cuba with them, will have a pretrail detention hearing on Friday morning.

The Hakkens face charges of kidnapping, child neglect and interfering with child custody. They will appear before Hillsborough Circuit Judge Chet Tharpe Friday at 10:30 a.m. The Hakkens will be represented by a public defender.

They are currently being held without bond.

"If in fact (prosecutors) present the proper evidence, you can be held without bond for the duration of your case," Circuit Judge Walter Heinrich told the Hakkens in court Thursday morning.
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Perfect example of the media not getting it straight.
Article before the last one says no bond for this couple. Within the body of the text it says special prosecutor Jennifer Johnson requested a special hearing for Monday but would not comment on as to why. It never mentions any further bond hearings.
The article directly above says 'bond hearing rescheduled for Friday'!
Can they ever get it straight?????? Drives me wild.

A couple charged with kidnapping their boys and sailing with them to Cuba to elude authorities have waived their right to a bond hearing.

As a result, Joshua, 35, and Sharyn Hakken, 34, will remain in jail, WTSP-TV reports.

Prosecutors had requested the pair to face a pretrial detention hearing Friday, the Tampa Bay Times reported, during which witnesses could have been brought forward to make a case for denying the couple bail.

The pair faces charges including kidnapping, child neglect, false imprisonment, burglary and interference with custody.

On Thursday, Circuit Judge Walter Heinrich ordered the Hakkens to have no contact with any of the victims or witnesses in the case.

The Hakkens are being represented by public defenders after they said they did not have enough money for private counsel, according to WTSP-TV. The couple was jailed Wednesday after Cuban authorities turned over the couple to the U.S.

The pretrial hearing comes a day after the grandparents of the two Florida boys spoke to the media, saying the children appear to be unaware of their ordeal.

Patricia and Robert Hauser, the maternal grandparents who have custody of Cole, 4, and Chase, 2, said they haven't been pressing the boys — whom Patricia Housers said were evaluated Wednesday and well cared for on their journey — for details about their kidnapping and have been treating it as if they went on vacation.

"We want them to get back to their normal, everyday schedules and just be carefree little boys again," Patricia Houser said.

According to the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office, Joshua Hakken entered his mother-in-law's Florida house April 3, tied her up and fled with the boys. The family surfaced during the weekend in Cuba aboard the sailboat that Hakken had purchased about two weeks prior.

Joshua Hakken lost custody of his sons last year after a drug possession arrest in Louisiana and later tried to take the children from a foster home at gunpoint, authorities said.

At Thursday's press conference, the grandparents thanked law enforcement officials, the media and those who called in tips in the case. Then, they brought out the two smiling kids, who said "Hi" and waved to the media.

"These are just two wonderful boys. We saw them very frequently before all of this started. We're very close to them ... and while initially it was a little bit of a change of lifestyle for us, having the boys here with us is just amazing," Robert Hauser said. "We wouldn't trade it for anything. We love these two kids."
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TAMPA — Two young boys seem unaware their parents kidnapped them and believe their sailboat trip to Cuba was only a vacation, not an attempt by their mom and dad to flee U.S. authorities, the children’s grandparents said Thursday.

Patricia and Bob Hauser said they want to get the boys back to a normal schedule and “just be carefree little boys again.” The grandparents were awarded custody of the young boys before their parents kidnapped them, detectives said.

“We haven’t asked the boys anything about the journey,” Patricia Hauser said at a news conference outside their house in suburban Tampa. “We’re just letting them tell us as things come out, if they feel like talking. We’re just treating it like a vacation.”

The grandparents have legal custody of Cole, 4, and Chase, 2, who appeared briefly during the news conference.
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TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Authorities are scrutinizing the social media and email accounts of a Florida couple accused of kidnapping their children and sailing with them to Cuba.
Court records show that Sharyn Hakken chatted with a Facebook friend during the time authorities says she and her husband were fleeing to Cuba with their kidnapped sons.
The children, ages 2 and 4, were taken from their grandparents' Tampa home April 3, a day after their parental rights had been severed. They sailed to Cuba and were returned to the U.S. last week.
Joshua and Sharyn Hakken (HAY'-ken) are being held in the Hillsborough County Jail on multiple felony counts.
The Tampa Bay Times (http://bit.ly/YuxjbB ) reported that investigators learned about the Facebook chat during the search for the family. Records show Sharyn Hakken chatted on Facebook with a woman identified as Britteny Littlefield of Cottonwood, Ala.
The affidavit does not provide details, but says Alabama authorities have talked with Littlefield and found that Mrs. Hakken, 34, asserted during the chat that she was in Tampa on April 5, two days after the kidnapping.
Mrs. Hakken's Facebook page is almost entirely private, so investigators were seeking permission to obtain its photos and messages from the social network company.
An investigator wrote that "it is known that social networks and the communication through them can be used to facilitate escape, concealment of significant others, parental abductions and evasion of law enforcement."
Another affidavit sought permission to search a laptop found with Mr. Hakken after the family came ashore in a Cuban marina.
"During a further search of the materials that were in the suspect's possession, it was discovered that there were numerous electronically created documents that detailed (Mr. Hakken's) plans to defect from the United States of America with the victims of the kidnapping," the affidavit states.
A third search warrant affidavit also filed Tuesday seeks permission to search Mr. Hakken's Google email account. Another court record also filed Tuesday reveals that when the Hakkens were taken into custody in Cuba, Joshua Hakken carried a Toshiba Satellite laptop computer in his backpack.
Authorities have said they reviewed surveillance video showing the couple preparing to set sail from Madeira Beach a few hours after the April 3 kidnapping.

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DUNNELLON --
Details continue to emerge on the life of Joshua Hakken, the man accused of kidnapping his two sons with his wife and heading to Cuba in a sailboat.

The 35-year-old graduated from Dunnellon High School in 1996, according to our partner newspaper The Citrus Chronicle.

“He was just a normal kid, who was very intelligent,” Dunnellon High teacher Steve Northsea told the Chronicle.

“He was a very good kid; all of the Hakkens’ kids were good. It was really a shock to hear that his life had taken such a turn. He did get the scholarship (to the U.S. Air Force Academy). We were all extremely pleased. You just never know how your students are going to turn out,” he continued.
Hakken attended the Academy for two years, but did not graduate.
"He was a great kid, very smart,” said Dunnellon High assistant principal Debbie Love.

“I figured he’d go on to become an engineer. When I heard the news, I just said, ‘Oh my gosh.’ I was totally shocked. I never thought he’d do something like this,” she said.
“It’s hard to talk anything negative about him. He never had a temper, he always cooperated. He was always a part of the team. He showed up on time to meetings and events that he had going on,” said former classmate Tony Shaff.
The Hakkens gained national attention after police accused the Joshua and Sharyn of tying up the boys' grandmother, kidnapping them and disappearing with them.

Several days later, they turned up in a sailboat in Havana, Cuba.

No one was injured.

The Hakken children, 2-year-old Chase and 4-year-old Cole are now with their maternal grandparents.

Joshua and his wife Sharyn face kidnapping and other charges.

The Hakkens are currently in the Hillsborough County Jail.

His bond is set at $154,000. No bond information is listed for Sharyn Hakken.

The couple’s next pretrial hearing is set for May 30.

Before this, police in Louisiana said they discovered the Hakkens in a Slidell hotel room with the children. Police say the parents had drugs and weapons and were discussing Armageddon.
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These people are just plain nutjobs!! I cannot imagine what the grandparents went through while they were missing. I hope the State of Florida throws the book at them. Can't believe Joshua's bond is so low.

Still no ruling on kidnapping suspect's mental state

Posted: Jun 11, 2014 6:31 PM EDT
Updated: Jun 11, 2014 6:31 PM EDT
By: Gloria Gomez, FOX 13 News - bio

TAMPA (FOX 13) -
More than a year after detectives say Josh and Sharyn Hakken kidnapped their sons and fled to Cuba in a sailboat, Josh Hakken’s mental state is still an issue.

A psychiatrist just told the judge he couldn't say whether Josh was competent to stand trial.

Legal expert Eddie Suarez says that is critical in this case.

"A defendant in a criminal case needs to understand the proceedings around him and be able to assist his lawyer in his own defense," Suarez said.

Earlier this year, Josh Hakken was found insane by doctors hired by his defense team.

But prosecutors told the judge he was faking it. They even said they have evidence to prove it.

Sharyn Hakken's attorney Bryant Camereno says the couple will both claim they were insane at the time of the alleged kidnapping.

"Our obligation is to present ever-viable defense, and at this point, insanity is a viable option. Whether or not it’s successful, that remains to be seen," Camereno said.

But proving insanity is rarely successful, as attorneys for Julie Schenecker found out last month. Despite a well-documented history of mental illness, the jury rejected her insanity claim.

They said she knew right from wrong when she shot and killed her teenage children.

Suarez says Hakken's attorneys will probably focus on his anti-government rants and writings about a journey to Armageddon as part of his insanity defense.

"Because evidence like that is going to show that he was mentally ill and had delusional thoughts, and those thoughts may have gotten to the point where it blurred the line between right and wrong," Suarez said.

Suarez says to expect the battle of the mental health experts to take center stage in the trial.

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video..above link.