6 Year Old Trapped in a Balloon. Boy Found Alive - Hiding at Home!

[hrh_disney_queen]

I can't find where anyone knows exactly how much this search cost, but I found a couple of figures:

"Air National Guard officials said the Black Hawk was in the air for almost three hours with a crew of five, including a medic. The total operating cost was about $4,600 an hour.

The Kiowa helicopter, which is much smaller, was in the air for about one hour at a cost of $700 an hour, officials say."



http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_13573121

 

[lovetoscrap]

The news is saying that just the helicopters cost $14,500.

 

[hrh_disney_queen]

Did anyone see them on the GMA interview this morning? When asked about his comment on Larry King, the boy suddenly got sick. He got up from the interview and went into the bathroom. Hmmm.........
You can watch it here: http://abcnews.go.com/GMA

As the Church lady from SNL used to say, "How conveeeenient".

 

[MrsPete]

Bottom line....the boy is safe.

Is he? He's still living in the same family.

 

[goofy!]

I agree! This is what my mind keeps coming back to. All the authorities that spent so much time with that family while the balloon was up in the air. If they suspected the famlies actions it would have been picked up by someone. The authorities are convinced this was not a hoax.

This is one strange family. And living in Boulder, can I officially say I am already sick of all the local coverage of this family? Enough already.

I can't decide whether this is a hoax or for real. The family seems strange enough to try this.

But, I still can't justify them being able to con a slew of cops in their kitchen for an entire day. They must be really good con artists if they can fool numerous cops, a profession that can spot a liar in a heartbeat, without a single one having any suspicions that this may not be for real.

They just don't seem smart enough or good enough actors to pull off a con of this proportions.

 

[MaryAnnDVC]

IMHO...hoax. Initiated by the parents, not the kids.

I've only seen short clips of them from Wipe Swap, and the parents seem like obnoxious idiots. As someone on a news show said last night "They never met a camera they didn't like". I think they're big con artists, and they could, and did, pull it off. For now. They need to get those parents and kids into separate rooms and question them.

 

[bicker]

The parents, the more we get to know them, are very weird, no doubt about it.

And that really scares people. The idea that there could be people out there who are very much different what one knows and is comfortable with definitely evokes a lot of often-baseless critical concern. I think that is really what underlies the tabloid press' rabid effort to find, or make it seem like they have found, some evidence of something nefarious, rather than allowing the officials to do their jobs and wait until there is actual evidence of the conspiracy that they're using to try to bolster their ratings.

And I'm not even saying whether what happened was or wasn't anything -- I'm just pointing out how effectively the sensationalistic aspects of our society are exploiting the opportunity, essentially fostering a witch hunt either for gain, or in the case of some of the more vitriolic bloggers out there, perhaps just for their own jollies.

 

[Amy&Dan]

I can see things going either way. The family is a bit odd to say the least. That music video they had those kids make was very disturbing and just shows a complete lack of judgement on the part of the parents who almost seem to enjoy using their kids to get across what a cool, uncoventional family they are who always living on the edge. They clearly like to make a spectacle of themselves so maybe they would concoct some crazy story to get attention, but then again, this couple seems so stupid, I am not sure they could think that deeply and come up with it. At this point the smartest person in the family is Falcon, who clearly was keen enough to hide in the attic and get the heck away from Mom and Dad. Did you see the home video of the dad yelling and about to spontaneously combust he was so mad the balloon got away? The guy clearly has a bit of a short fuse so if that's the way he acts when he's mad, and they all admit he had gotten mad at Falcon a bit earlier that morning, no wonder the kid hid. I'd hide too if those morons were my parents.

The kid looked ill from the get go on the tv this morning, you can tell they've all been up all night. I know my daughter will puke if she's really tired. So that I am not ready to chalk that incident up to him being ill from the weight of a lie or faking it. I thought both parents just looked exhausted. And I know if my kid was barfing on national television, I'd probably just sit there stunned and not knowing what to do.

If this was a hoax, I do think these two dimwits probably didn't dream it would get this far. If it wasn't a hoax, they spent several agonizing hours not knowing whether their son would live or die and they both knew their little backyard experiment had more thank likely cost their son his life, and the dad knew the last thing he had done with that little boy was yell at him.

I think its starting to sink in how much this is going to be a factor in their life for quite some time. They seem devoid of reality but I think that is changing very quickly. I do have to say I was amused by this dad's comment "we don't have cable". They don't have cable but they star on a tv show and have their kids make obscene music videos. Like so many other hypocritcal people, they shun the things they actually use for their own gain. To me that was funny and a look inside this dad's head. I mean he clearly thinks he and his family are above watching television, but has no problem putting them on a show that is seen by millions of people. Its okay to make money off television, just don't watch it.

In all, I think the family is more than a bit strange and it may very well be a hoax. But I also think that a lot of the things being picked apart today, might also be explained logically. Like the kid saying he "hid for the show" could be explained because some reporters had him demonstrate how he got up to the attic in the garage (which he did do for them). So when later asked about why he went to the attic, he may very well have thought they were asking him about when he went up for the reporters after it was all over.

As much as I wonder about these people, I do think its easy enough to pick them apart and put a conspiracy twist when in fact there may be none. I hope so for everybody's sake.

They strike me as people who are very intelligent yet also insanely stupid.

 

[Amy&Dan]

And that really scares people. The idea that there could be people out there who are very much different what one knows and is comfortable with definitely evokes a lot of often-baseless critical concern. I think that is really what underlies the tabloid press' rabid effort to find, or make it seem like they have found, some evidence of something nefarious, rather than allowing the officials to do their jobs and wait until there is actual evidence of the conspiracy that they're using to try to bolster their ratings.

And I'm not even saying whether what happened was or wasn't anything -- I'm just pointing out how effectively the sensationalistic aspects of our society are exploiting the opportunity, essentially fostering a witch hunt either for gain, or in the case of some of the more vitriolic bloggers out there, perhaps just for their own jollies.

Bicker I do agree with you. Even though I think their different take on life, might at times put those kids in harmful situations (and I am talking more about putting them on a reality show where some sicko could easily determine where they live and also the music video which clearly shows they parent their kids in a way that is less than constructive) they might be a fine family. Or they might be wackos who concocted this whole thing!

I keep thinking about the Elizabeth Smart case. I knew so many people who were convinced those parents had something to do with that They were Mormons and there were rumors Elizabeth had just been sold off into some child marriage out in the Utah wildnerness. And then she was found and everyone realized this couple had been vicitmized on so many levels. Reporters and tv personalities who had been ready to point out how this couple would make dumb decisions about having weird people do work around the house, later praised them as "never giving up" and "tireless" in their efforts to find their daughter and how it had all paid off. ONe minute they were under a cloud of suspicion, the next they were heroes.

Reporters and talk show hosts will always change their tune in order to get the ratings.

This family is different for sure, but in the end, that may very well have nothing to do with the facts of this incident.

 

[sbell111]

The dad's answers in this morning's interviews made no sense.

Also, I keep going back to the expert who said that there is no way that the balloon would have been able to carry the child's weight. It seems that the father, who states that he planned to use the balloon for something like two hundred 'experiments', would no what it's maximum payload was and know that his child could not have been inside it when it floated off.

I believe that this was a hoax initiated by the parents.

 

[TLSnell1981]

I agree.

The parents, the more we get to know them, are very weird, no doubt about it. However, I will choose to believe the Larimer County Sheriff and the rest of the staff that spent the entire day with the famiily when they say that the parents' emotions were real and that they are convinced that this was not a hoax.

If it was a hoax, I am more inclined to believe that the boys were playing some sort of prank on the parents and it got way, way out of hand.

I agree. I think, authorities have a better grasp on the truth of the matter. Especially, over the media.

And that really scares people. The idea that there could be people out there who are very much different what one knows and is comfortable with definitely evokes a lot of often-baseless critical concern. I think that is really what underlies the tabloid press' rabid effort to find, or make it seem like they have found, some evidence of something nefarious, rather than allowing the officials to do their jobs and wait until there is actual evidence of the conspiracy that they're using to try to bolster their ratings.

And I'm not even saying whether what happened was or wasn't anything -- I'm just pointing out how effectively the sensationalistic aspects of our society are exploiting the opportunity, essentially fostering a witch hunt either for gain, or in the case of some of the more vitriolic bloggers out there, perhaps just for their own jollies.

Bicker, once or twice in a decade we agree. This is one of those times.

 

[C.Ann]

I agree. I think, authorities have a better grasp on the truth of the matter. Especially, over the media.

Didn't Susan Smith have the authorities "hoodwinked" for awhile as well?

I think we need to wait a few days to see how it all plays out.. By any chance, have the parents hired a lawyer as of this morning?

 

[Amy&Dan]

Didn't Susan Smith have the authorities "hoodwinked" for awhile as well?

I think we need to wait a few days to see how it all plays out.. By any chance, have the parents hired a lawyer as of this morning?

Yeah, I thought about her too. Eventually a lie, especially one that involves your own child, will just eat away at most people (I assume) and they'll crack. As I recall, that sheriff in SC, put her and him in a room, told her he knew what was what and got her to write the whole thing down. You can bet the Larimer County sheriff will be talking to them plenty in the next few days and if they lied, it will keep getting harder and harder for them to keep the facade going, especially given the kids would have been in on it too. If the smartest of criminals can get caught, this couple who are both dumb enough to do some of the crazy stunts they have done, will not be able to keep it up forever. And kids always let things slip in their innocence and inablity to keep a tall tale consistent and straight.

 

[PrincessMickey]

Did anyone else watch the Today Show this morning. They showed the video that the kids took when the balloon took off and both mom and dad were there. Dad was the one that released a strap or tether from the bottom of the balloon. He reacts when the balloon actually goes in the air. Not sure if he acts mad or thrilled. I'll have to watch the video again. If he was right there I would think that he would've known whether the kid was in there or not. But everything I heard yesterday said the parents were in the house when it was released. I have to agree with another poster who said how did he get the snacks and toys up there. He would have had to get them prior to hiding. I don't think my 5 year old would be able to think that far ahead. And I don't think he would be able to hide for that amount of time. That's a long time for a young kid to stay in the same place. I hope this is not a hoax but this whole thing is definately odd.

 

[JerseyJanice]

When my kid says he's going to vomit, I jump up and run him into the bathroom as fast as I can move. And nobody has to tell me to help him.

 

[JerseyJanice]

Didn't Susan Smith have the authorities "hoodwinked" for awhile as well?

According to coverage I've seen on her case, she didn't fool them for long. They just acted like they believed her because they knew she would crack eventually.

The same thing could be happening here. The cops are saying now that they believed this Heene family while the balloon was in the air, but that story could change when and if they decide to press charges.

 

[KristinBelle]

I watched this family on wife swap and and immediately thought this would end up a hoax, I think it was just a ploy to get themselves back on TV.

 

[hrh_disney_queen]

I didn't watch Wife Swap and have no intention of doing so. What is the wife like on her own? She seems to be like a "bobblehead", just nodding, agreeing. and regurgitating what she has been told to say. Is she just as bad as the father? I don't know, she seems to be sort of just going along with things.

After watching the video of the liftoff, I think the dad didn't mean for it to go up in the air (he even said he got mad at his wife because he thought she had her side tethered) and once it did he realized that he was in big trouble. He didn't have approval for it to be flown. So he concocted a story to focus the attention on a lost boy in danger and away from what really happened. It doesn't seem like this was well thought out enough for this really unintelligent man to have premeditated the whole thing. He can't keep his stories straight, can't answer questions that he would have known would be asked, and whatever he told the kids to say will come out eventually. It already has somewhat-with Falcon stating that he did it "for the story". The father's attempt at acting upset and crying on cue are lame-no tears!

 

[TLHB70]

After watching the video of the liftoff, I think the dad didn't mean for it to go up in the air (he even said he got mad at his wife because he thought she had her side tethered) and once it did he realized that he was in big trouble. He didn't have approval for it to be flown. So he concocted a story to focus the attention on a lost boy in danger and away from what really happened. It doesn't seem like this was well thought out enough for this really unintelligent man to have premeditated the whole thing.

I could see it happening this way.

 

[The Orchid]

If it was a stunt...that's sick.

Truthfully, though, having watched the interview, the boy may have been a little confused. He sounds like he might be trying to say that they are there (being interviewed) because of the show. I know my son, at 6, would get very mixed up and give very weird answers when he was uncomfortable and being 'grilled' over and over again to explain himself.

I'm not saying that it's definitely not a hoax...but I wouldn't judge the situation based off of what a 6 yr old, that has had to answer a lot of uncomfortable questions (over and over again...sometimes in front of a camera) says.

Jess

My opinion is based on two things, and neither has anything to do with the child, though I do think the child's response is, to a lesser degree, damning evidence against the parents.

Primarily, my opinion is based on the parents, and especially the dad's response to the kid. When the kid said that and then later when they were questioned about it, he looked guilty to me. They both looked like they were lying based on their body language and their difficulty looking at the camera. Trust me, these are not people who are uncertain about themselves.

Second, I saw them on Wife Swap and they were the biggest idiots I ever saw on that show, and that is saying something. And as I said above, they are not uncertain about their reactions...not the type of people to look uncomfortable in front of the camera because their kid said something that came out wrong.

Somebody commended that people get scared when other people are different and have to make up stories about them (paraphrasing). Not me! I live a VERY untraditional life. I like people who are different and to be honest, I find their interest in creating things and chasing storms to be very fun. I simply find the family themselves to be attention *****s.

Just based on seeing them on TV, I was completely unconcerned about the boy. I knew he was just fine.