Fla. Parents Accused Of Kidnapping Boys To Cuba To Stay In Jail
TAMPA (CBSMiami/AP) — The Florida couple who investigators said kidnapped their two young sons and sailed with them to Cuba to elude authorities will stay in jail.
On Friday, Joshua and Sharyn Hakken's public defender didn't contest a request by prosecutors in Tampa that they remain in jail without bond.
The Hakkens didn't appear at the hearing.
The pretrial detention hearing had been scheduled to determine whether they would be released until their trial on charges of kidnapping and interfering with custody.
Police say the Hakkens lost custody of their boys, ages 4 and 2, after authorities found them in a Louisiana hotel room with drugs and weapons.
Last week, the boys' maternal grandparents were granted custody. That's when police say Joshua Hakken broke into the home, tied up his mother-in-law, took the children and eventually set sail for Cuba.
Thursday, the boys grandparents spoke with reporters in Tampa and the boys made an appearance before the cameras, as well.
Patricia and Bob Hauser said they want to get the boys back to a normal schedule and "just be carefree little boys again."
The children 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, said the grandparents.
The grandparents have legal custody of 4-year-old Cole and 2-year-old Chase, who appeared briefly during the news conference to say "hi." Cole jokingly struck a pose on the lawn for the cameras and stuck out his tongue. Chase held up his toy cars.
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