six year old flys away in homemade ballon

[jwood]

Update..
Sheriff: "We believe that we have evidence at this point to indicate that it was a publicity stunt done with the hopes of marketing themselves or better marketing themselves for a reality television show at some point in the future," Alderden said.

The sheriff said no charges had been filed yet, and the parents weren't under arrest. He said he expected to recommend charges of conspiracy, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, making a false report to authorities and attempting to influence a public servant.

Richard and Mayumi Heene were shopping at Wal-Mart with their three sons as Alderden told reporters at the sheriff's station that the whole thing was a hoax.

Richard Heene said he's "seeking counsel," though it was unclear whether he was talking about hiring an attorney.

"This thing has become so convoluted," Heene told The Associated Press as tears welled up in his eyes.

He said his wife was holding together better than he was.
Some of the most serious charges each carry a maximum sentence of six years in prison and a $500,000 fine.

Alderden said all three of the Heenes' sons knew of the Thursday hoax, but likely won't face charges because of their ages. The oldest son is 10. One of the boys told investigators he saw his brother get in the balloon's box before it launched.

Alderden said 6-year-old Falcon may not have even been in the rafters in the garage, as originally reported, based on where the investigators were when the boy entered the house.

"For all we know he may have been two blocks down the road playing on the swing in the city park," he said.

Heene, a storm chaser and inventor, and his family have appeared on the reality show "Wife Swap." Alderden said the couple met in acting school in Hollywood.

Alderden said interviews with the parents Saturday resulted in enough information to get a warrant to search the house. He said they were looking for computers, e-mails, phone records and financial records.

Alderden said the children were still with the parents Sunday morning, and child protective services had been contacted to investigate the children's well-being.

The sheriff initially said there was no reason to believe the incident was a hoax. Authorities questioned the Heenes again after Falcon turned to his dad during a CNN interview Thursday night and said what sounded like "you said we did this for a show" when asked why he didn't come out of his hiding place.

Falcon got sick during two separate TV interviews Friday when asked again why he hid.

A Colorado State University physics professor, using dimensions given by Richard Heene, had told sheriff's officials as they were tracking the balloon Thursday that it was plausible for it to lift off with 37-pound Falcon inside.

Once the device landed, sheriff's officials discovered it was made with plastic tarps taped together and covered with aluminum foil, with a utility box made of a very thin piece of plywood, cardboard on the side, held together with string and duct tape, Alderden said.

Using the true dimensions, the professor determined it could not have launched with the boy inside, Alderden said.

[Fritter]

Looks like now there is a "media outlet" involved as well. Aparently this media outlet was tipped off 2 weeks in advance this was going to happen and they actually paid this knucklehead family some money up front for the event.

What a wonderful family they are, look at the lessons they are teaching their children. People this f'ing stupid should be locked up. Their kids should be studied to see how much damage has been done to them. Or better yet-maybe just ship them all off to California where they would fit right in (just kidding).

[A-Track]

Parents are a bunch of tools and need to have the max penality / fines thrown at them for needlesly endangering the lives of all those rescue workers racing / flying across the country side trying to save this little boy.

[classclown]

	Quote: Originally Posted by A-Track
	Parents are a bunch of tools and need to have the max penality / fines thrown at them for needlesly endangering the lives of all those rescue workers racing / flying across the country side trying to save this little boy.

What about the people who got rerouted to another airport, and had to rent a car to get back to the Denver area? Authorities should throw the big book at them, fine them up the ass, and replay a reminder 5 times a month, to the world, of what happens to you when you get stupid, for the other dumbsh!ts out there. Those morons, the Heenes, will even get what they wanted. Their images and story, reminded to the world of how friggin' stupid they are, being played publicly over and over. And the next retard, dumb enough to mimick the Heenes stupidity gets the book thrown at them too. There's your sign!

[BTerry]

	Quote: Originally Posted by classclown
	What about the people who got rerouted to another airport, and had to rent a car to get back to the Denver area? Authorities should throw the big book at them, fine them up the ass, and replay a reminder 5 times a month, to the world, of what happens to you when you get stupid, for the other dumbsh!ts out there. Those morons, the Heenes, will even get what they wanted. Their images and story, reminded to the world of how friggin' stupid they are, being played publicly over and over. And the next retard, dumb enough to mimick the Heenes stupidity gets the book thrown at them too. There's your sign!

That was not a criminal offense. Those people would have to file individual lawsuits against the Heene's and be able to prove actual damages. Perhaps there will be a class-action.

Of course that would be a moot point as well, because "storm chaser/inventor" most assuredly is a synonym for "underemployed" so likely there is no money available to cover any "damages".

I am glad they found something with "teeth" with which to charge them. Ironic the charge for "child endangerment" for leaving the boys home with the 10 year-old in charge carries one of the biggest penalties. How many times did we get left alone as kids while Mom ran to the store for a few minutes? I was the oldest so I babysat all the time.

10 years ago my Aunt had an idiot neighbor who would let his big, untrained dogs run free and unsupervised in the back yard (all the homes in the neighborhood had a shared backyard area, with no fences). The dogs (Presa Canarios/mastiff hybrids - think "180 lb pit bull") threatened her kids (10 y.o., 6 y.o. twins, 2 y.o. toddler) all the time and would chase them back into their house, but never bit them. The town was unwilling to do anything about it until the dogs actually bit a kid, and refused to even check out the situation. They did a bit of research, and it turns out the town had a strong penalty for "noisy dogs", but nothing for a "threatening dog". They recorded the huge dogs barking all hours of the day and night every day for a week or so, then called the authorities. They hit the guy with a bunch of noise complaints and a few thousand dollars worth of fines. As I recall he got rid of the dogs in a plea deal to get the fines reduced, and moved a few months later. The next year this exact type of dog killed that woman in the hallway of her San Francisco apartment.

[BTerry]

Of course after all the bad things Al Capone did, they could only convict him of cheating on his taxes. Any port in a storm I guess!

That said, I really don't think the stupid thing these people did deserves 6 yrs in prison or a $600k fine. In some places you could kill a person and get less than that. I think some nominal fine (a few grand or so) plus a few thousand hours of community service should do it.

The state in which I live now can barely find the time to prosecute idiots for car theft, they almost view it as a "victimless crime" because insurance is mandatory. As a result my car insurance rates are nearly 50% HIGHER than they were when I lived in BOSTON (crowded, narrow streets, snow, for the exact same coverage. The unintended consequences are things politicians just can't understand.

[classclown]

	Quote: Originally Posted by BTerry
	Of course after all the bad things Al Capone did, they could only convict him of cheating on his taxes. Any port in a storm I guess! That said, I really don't think the stupid thing these people did deserves 6 yrs in prison or a $600k fine. In some places you could kill a person and get less than that. I think some nominal fine (a few grand or so) plus a few thousand hours of community service should do it. The state in which I live now can barely find the time to prosecute idiots for car theft, they almost view it as a "victimless crime" because insurance is mandatory. As a result my car insurance rates are nearly 50% HIGHER than they were when I lived in BOSTON (crowded, narrow streets, snow, for the exact same coverage. The unintended consequences are things politicians just can't understand.

It is a screwed up world that we do live in. But at least in this case, they might have found a slight chance of curing stupid.

[BTerry]

Bottom line is this: If you are going to pull off a "prank" like this, especially if the media and authorities will be involved, DO NOT let the 6 year old in on the scheme!

These people are publicity hounds. I sincerely hope the state of Colorado doesn't let this whole thing become a huge media circus. Maybe charge him with a bunch of offenses and tell him he is facing huge fines plus big jail time, then work out a plea bargain to a couple grand plus community service so he will be able to plead guilty and avoid months of expensive courtroom time.

Then take the amount they save on not pulling a Lance Ito-style trial and bust a few meth rings and we will all be better off.

[A-Track]

Send them a bill, I read in an article that the cost for the two air guard helicopters alone was $14,500.

[3Dreaming]

I have not read all the post, so if this has already been said I'm sorry. I don't think the other day was a hoax. I do think the balloon was built to be a hoax for publicity for a TV show. I think when it got away it was an accident. I think the plan was to do a UFO hoax at night sometime, and this was just a trial filling of the balloon for a test. I think he still needed to put together his lights, speakers, and power system together to finish it.

[Wayne]

Sorry Tom.
They have already admitted it was a hoax in attempt to get a reality TV show.
These people are 1000% as$holes.

[classclown]

	Quote: Originally Posted by 3Dreaming
	I have not read all the post, so if this has already been said I'm sorry. I don't think the other day was a hoax. I do think the balloon was built to be a hoax for publicity for a TV show. I think when it got away it was an accident. I think the plan was to do a UFO hoax at night sometime, and this was just a trial filling of the balloon for a test. I think he still needed to put together his lights, speakers, and power system together to finish it.

Dude, read the whole thread. We've had this all figured out before the events unrolled themselves. They've (the authorities) already provided proof. Read the whole thread and follow the news.

[snap a saurus]

	Quote: Originally Posted by 3Dreaming
	I have not read all the post, so if this has already been said I'm sorry. I don't think the other day was a hoax. I do think the balloon was built to be a hoax for publicity for a TV show. I think when it got away it was an accident. I think the plan was to do a UFO hoax at night sometime, and this was just a trial filling of the balloon for a test. I think he still needed to put together his lights, speakers, and power system together to finish it.

The father is seen releasing the balloon after counting down, it was done on purpose, the parents also claimed there was a basket attached and it's obvious in the video that there wasn't any, I was glued to the TV watching the balloon miss the power lines and come back toward them, I have kids and I was fearing the worst.

[Fritter]

Gawker.com was sold the plans of the hoax 2 weeks in advance, can you freaking believe that? Everyone that was impacted at Denver airport ought to get a chance at that idiot tardo dad. Now that would make a good reality show!