A Tampa couple accused of kidnapping their two children and sailing with them to Cuba appeared in a Hillsborough County courtroom on Monday.
Hillsborough Circuit Judge Chet Tharpe ordered the release of some evidence in the case of Joshua and Sharyn Hakken.
According to our partners at The Tampa Bay Times, a report from the Slidell Police Department in Louisiana, where the Hakkens first lost custody of their children, states that Hakken told police "spirits would take over" his wife's body and "talk through her" and that physical abuse "was the only way to bring her back to reality and get the spirits to go away."
Police were called to a motel the family was staying in after receiving calls that Sharyn was running down the halls and knocking on people's doors.
"They got a report there was a lady loud and running around the halls and knocking on doors," said Jorge Leon Chalela, an attorney representing Joshua Hakken. "When they responded, they found her, they made observations of her and also concluded they couldn't engage in a proper dialogue."
The report said officers also smelled marijuana in the room.
Joshua Hakken was arrested in drug charges. His wife was taken to a mental health facility and the two children, ages 2 and 4, were put into foster care.
Sharyn Hakken's attorney said he will be studying the police reports for a possible defense.
"There were injuries to her body. There were bruises on her body and she remembers having two black eyes. The report seems to suggest Mr. Hakken admitted to inflicting those so that's what I need to explore," said Bryant Camareno.
The Tampa Bay Times said the police report states officers noticed Sharyn had "multiple bruises on her body and bumps on her head, where it looked like she was beaten." It also says Joshua Hakken "stated he has choked Sharyn to the point of unconsciousness before to relieve her of the spirits."
Police in Louisiana did not charge Hakken with domestic violence.
The Hakkens children are now in the custody of their maternal grandparents in Tampa.